Helen E. Sellers

Helen E Sellers died in the early morning on October 18 at the Mesilla Valley Hospice in Las Cruces. She suffered a severe stroke on Oct 5 at home, was treated at Mountain View Regional Medical Center and never recovered from the effects of the stroke. Helen was the daughter of Paul E. A. Bohn and H. Frances Weikel Bohn and came into this world on May13 1936 in Ft Wayne, IN. She was educated in that city and graduated from South Side High School in the spring of 1954. She selected Bowling Green State Univ (BGSU) in Bowling Green, Ohio to pursue a degree in business. During the Orientation Week at the college she met a young student on the steps of the freshman women's dormitory, Shatzel Hall. That young man, Roger L. Sellers, became her husband, after she was pinned with his Sigma Chi badge, and was later engaged to be married. She left Bowling Green following her sophomore year. While attending Bowling Green, she became a member of the Alphi Phi sorority and was serenaded by the Sigma Chi brothers in the spring of 1956 when she decided to accept work in the accounting department of General Electric in Erie, PA and live with her parents. Her father, Paul, was one of very few men to work for GE for 50 years. Roger spent many hours on the highways visiting Erie about twice a month for two years. Roger graduated from Bowling Green in June of 1958 and was commissioned a 2d LT, regular Army. They were married, one week earlier, in downtown Ft Wayne, IN at Trinity English Evangelical Lutheran Church on May 31 1958. This was her home church where she received her religious education and confirmation. The reception was held just around the corner at the Masonic Shrine facility. Many relatives from both families attended since Roger's hometown was only 60 miles away in Lima, OH. They spent a few months assigned to the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, KS before Roger attending training at the Artillery Center at Ft Sill, OK in 1958. Their first child, Lois Anne, was born in Sandusky, OH on 2June 1959 while the family was visiting her sister, Betty A. Weisler. Helen was too pregnant to travel to their first overseas assignment, Hawaii. Helen arrived in Hawaii with Lois in the summer of 1959. Kay Lynn was born in July 1961, and Kip Marie was born in May of 1962. Helen then declared "no more children". That goal was met. After training at Ft Sill and Ft Bliss, a 3-year tour with NSA at Ft Meade, MD was served/. Roger then served in Viet Nam while the family lived in Milan, OH near Helen's relatives. They then spent time on or near Ft Belvoir, VA; lived at White Sands Missile Range while Roger served in Korea and moved to Ft Bliss, TX in 1972. The family enjoyed a two-year tour in Korea from 1975-77. They returned to the US in 1977 to Ft Leavenworth and Lois was delivered to Northland College in Ashland, WI. She and her family remain in that area and are owners/managers of two brew pubs. Kay Sellers Rhoades graduated from NMSU and married a UNM engineer graduate and currently lives in Shoreline, WA. Kip was a banker with Wells Fargo until she was forced to retire because of back problems. The last military assignment before retirement was at WSMR with the Patriot Project. They moved into their home in Las Cruces in late 1984 before Roger's retirement from the US Army as a LTC in January 1985. Roger has been a financial consultant with AG Edwards & Sons since early 1985. Helen leaves behind Roger, Lois, Kay, Kip and their families including five grandchildren. Helen's sister Betty and her four children are also left behind. A visitation will be held from 5:30 PM to 7 PM on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2006 at Getz Funeral Home. Funeral Services are at 10:00 AM on Monday, Oct. 23, 2006 also at Getz Funeral Home with Rev. Carrol Blevins officiating. Burial will follow at 2:00 PM also on Monday at Ft. Bliss National Cemetery. PDF Printable Version