Halford “Slim” Sellers passed away Thursday, July 31, 2014 at the age of 88. He was a loving and devoted husband to the late Rachel Delois Sellers (nee Kinder) for 57 years. Devoted and caring father to Elaine Morris (Steve), Valerie Lovett (David) and Joseph. He was preceded in death by his first born son, David Errol. Youngest Son of Lola Parsons Sellers, Grandson of Oma and Hilde Parsons and brother to James William Sellers (Faye), all deceased. He is survived by 4 grandchildren, Steven, Kasey, Sean and Matt; 2 step-grandchildren, Tara and Scott; 1 great grandson, Grant; and 3 step-great grandsons, David, TJ and Garrett.
Friends may call on Sunday, August 10th from 5pm – 7pm for visitation at the Fares Radel Funeral Home, 5950 Kellogg Avenue, Cincinnati, OH. Service beginning at 7pm officiated by Rev. Michael Neal, concluded with Military Honor Guard. Family requests memorial donations be made to Hospice of Cincinnati, Inc., P O Box 633597, Cincinnati, OH 45263-3597.
Interment will be at the Bracken Memorial Cemetery, Brooksville, KY, in the privacy with the immediate family.
He was born in Bracken County and raised by his Mother, Grandmother, Hilde Parson and Aunts, Hazel and Lettie Mae.
He served in the U.S. Army with the 65th Engineer Combat Battalion in Japan as a photographer of Battalion activities and special events. He developed, printed and enlarged his pictures using standard dark room equipment. He separated from the Army as a Technician 5 (currently Corporal). He received an Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon, Victory Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal and Army of Occupation Medal, Japan.
Here are just a few notes from moments in his life as our father, we would like to share.
A lot of information about his childhood was never discussed. But we can tell you a lot about this great man.
He always had nicknames for his kids, Elaine was Dutchman, Valerie was Veewee, Joe was Cotton Blossom. His grandkids with nicknames were Steven was Mouse and Kasey was Charlie.
He was a Christian, ordained as a Deacon with the Calvary Baptist Church on September 10, 1961.
He was a Special Deputy with the Pike County Sheriff’s Office from 1995 until 2006.
He and Mother were lifelong Republicans and proud of it.
He was blessed with three wonderful children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He enjoyed the visits he had with his newest great grandson, Grant and loved the “little feller” as he called him. Grant visited him in the afternoon prior to his death. We are sure he is telling Mom all about him.
He worked as a Master Mechanic for Highway Equipment Company on Caterpillar heavy earth moving equipment which is believed to have caused his hearing loss.
For years Dad drove Volkswagen buses. They were loaded down on our anticipated annual 2 week camping vacations. We took 2 trips to the West Coast to visit our Aunt Ruby that lived near Los Angeles. The other vacations were spent in the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina and Virginia. Linville Falls and the campground was his favorite spot. The Volkswagen bus was always packed with bicycles and a little 1964 90cc Ducati and tents or one of numerous campers along with rock hunting equipment. We all have the fondest memories of our annual vacations, camping, hiking and rock hunting.
Motorcycles – If you knew my Dad you knew that he owned motorcycles most of his life. Mom refused to ride them until one day our Uncle Jim shamed her into it. So there on the Augusta Berlin Road, she took her first ride. Dad couldn’t keep her off of them as a rider after that. They vacationed with many friends on their motorcycles. It brought them much pleasure and we have pictures and stories to prove it.
Norman Rockwell memorabilia – Again if you knew my dad you knew he loved Norman Rockwell memorabilia, plates, pictures, mugs, glasses, whiskey bottles. We could go on and one about all the Rockwell memorabilia Dad collected. Dads greatest story about the man he admired so much was while on one of his many vacations with Mom and Aunt Becky and Uncle Smokey they met Mr. Rockwell at his home in Stockbridge, MA. I will spare you the story because I am sure you have heard it. But it was a day Dad never forgot and enjoyed sharing it many times over and over and over.
Dogs – Dad always had a dog growing up on the farm. He spoke fondly of the bulldog that took the seat out of his Sunday-go-to meeting pants when he was a kid. Growing up we had gotten Canaan, a bench leg Beagle pup we had gotten from our Uncle Jim. My Uncle Jim’s barn was blown away by the tornado that went through Berlin. For all the weekends he spent helping to rebuild the barn, Dad (we) were given a puppy. He was the runt of the litter and his parents were Lady and Bill. Lady the sweetest little beagle and mean old Bill. Unfortunately Canaan took after mean old Bill. Canaan and Dad had several go arounds over the years. That old hounddog suckled on an old rag he carried around everywhere until the day he died. Steve will tell you, NEVER reach for the old rag unless you wanted your hand ripped off. The latest dog in Dads life was a standard white poodle at the nursing home. Her name was Velvet and of course Dad took a shinin’ to her. She loved Dad too. Dad called her Taffy, didn’t matter that her name was Velvet he called her Taffy. The real Taffy lived next door to us as kids growing up on Ballard in Oakley. She was a bulldog owned by our neighbor Mrs. Ida Kassner. She didn’t look anything like Velvet. We are just happy Dad enjoyed Taffy’s daily visits at the home and he gave her Milk Bones every day.
The man knew a little about everything and you could call on him to fix anything. We will all miss him.
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