Obituary of Ken Selby

Ken was born May 12, 1936 in Milburn, OK and he passed from this life Saturday, May 12, 2012 at the age of 76. He was born to Depression-era parents and graduated from Sapulpa High School. Ken's mother was a teacher and he seemed destined for a career in education. It was at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, where he graduated in 1958, that Ken discovered pizza. Ken taught at Tulsa's Lowell Junior High School, before transferring to Monroe Junior High. He moonlighted as a cook at Pizza Hut to supplement his income. While teaching during the day, he opened his first restaurant in 1961 working by himself at night and developing what would become his signature pie: 16 inches of thin crust with a spicy sauce. In 1965, he left teaching to focus on pizza full time. The success of the first location led to a second and he changed the name to Ken's Pizza. By 1975 Ken's Pizza had more than 100 franchise locations in and around Oklahoma. In the late 1970s, Ken changed the name again to Mazzio's and expanded the menu. Over the next 10 years, Mazzio's would grow to more than 150 locations in several states and he began introducing new restaurant concepts, including Zio's Italian Kitchen and Oliveto Italian Bistro. The Ken Selby story is a uniquely American story. Ken never forgot where he came from. He always had great respect for the hourly employees and their vital importance to his company. He served on the boards of various local organizations, among them the Tulsa Foundation, the Hillcrest Medical Center Foundation, the Indian Nations Council of Boy Scouts, the Philbrook and Gilcrease museums and Holland Hall School. He also was a member of The Salvation Army's advisory board and served on Tulsa's Economic Development Commission. Ken is survived by his wife, Debra Selby; five children, Lori Selby, Eric Selby, Julie Selby, Susan Selby Aldrich and Beau Selby; three sisters, Dorothy Gilbert, Eloise Champlain and Sue Davis; and seven grandchildren. Friends may contribute to the Mayo Lung Cancer Research Center in memory of John Kenneth Selby - www.mayoclinic.org