Carl Henry Sells

Carl Henry Sells, 96, died July 6, 2014 in University Place, Washington two weeks after suffering a stroke. He was born in Willow Springs, Missouri on October 13, 1917. He was raised with his nine siblings and became a farmer like his father. After his father’s death and a time in the CCC, he moved to Kingsdown, Kansas and worked on the ranch of Orville and Della Mae (Keen) Craig where he met his future bride, LaDena Mae Keen. After her mother’s death, LaDena and Carl wed in 1941. They were expecting their first child when Carl joined the U.S. Army and a son was born just prior to his deployment overseas. He participated in the North Africa, Sicily and Italian campaigns. After the war, he joined his wife and son and returned to farming in Idaho where their second child was born. The family returned to Kansas and settled near Dodge City, where the next four children were born. He farmed and worked as a mechanic and became the foreman at the Aten Ranch in Dodge City, Kansas. The family moved to Nyssa, Oregon after the drought and blizzards in the spring of 1957, where they settled down and two more children were born. He worked for the Ford garage, owned a gas station and worked for the COOP as a mechanic until he retired. A few years ago, he moved to Washington State. His wife of 62 years, LaDena Mae (Keen) Sells, died in 2003. He was also preceded in death by his parents, Charley Sells and Bertha (Long) Sells Jacobs Arell and three of his children, infant Sheri Jean, Franklin and Robert as well as all of his siblings, Elsie (Sells) Tuttle, Edgar, Arthur, Roy, Charley, Marie (Sells) Hawkins, Mable (Sells) Barber, Claude Eugene, Billy Jacob. Carl is survived by his children and their spouses: Carl Edward and Joan Sells, Frances and Dave Christensen, Carolyn Sells, Myrna and Mike Anderson, Margaret Sells, and daughter-in-law Leona Sells, Frank’s widow. He has eleven grandchildren: Sheri Jean, Sabrina, Jennifer, David, Dena, Kevin, Donni, Robyn, Michael, Miles and Ethan and sixteen great grandchildren. Interment and a graveside service will be held at the Hilltop Memorial Cemetery in Nyssa, Oregon on Saturday, July 19th, 2014 at 10:00am. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the military veterans’ organization of your choice.