Friday, March 29, 2024

Gregory Richard Sellers

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Gregory Richard Sellers was fearless, curious and adventurous from the moment he started walking. He died of natural causes in his home on March 9, 2018 at the age of 62.  

Greg was a natural athlete, excelling in everything, from football to baseball to basketball to skiing, both on the snow and on the water. While he was a bright student, he’d rather be exploring the outdoors.

He learned fishing from his dad, becoming an avid fisherman by his early teens. He made his family happy by bringing home rainbow trout and salmon—and happier by cleaning and cooking the fish! He stopped fishing due to his concern about the decline of salmon fishery in the Columbia river. He enjoyed rock and roll, gardening, and sports. He was a season-ticket fan of WSU football. Winning or not, he would drive to Pullman in the snow to watch the Cougars play. He was also a life-long fan of the Seahawks, Mariners and Huskies. His dad will miss talking sports with him.

A proud fourth-generation Washingtonian, Greg was the first child of Patricia and Richard Sellers. Born in 1956 in Coulee Dam, WA, Greg moved with his family to Bridgeport, WA, when he was five, and then to the Tri-Cities in 1973. He graduated from Hanford High School in 1974 and attended Columbia Basin College earning a welding certificate. He joined the International Laborer’s Union in 1977. After working hard for more than 40 years, he retired just two months ago. He cared about the safety of his co-workers, the workplace, and about doing a job right. 

Greg pushed through some difficult times with the persistent love of his family. He learned to be even more compassionate about the hardships of others. He wanted to remember the good times, saying there was no need to hold on to difficult memories. Try to learn. Move on.

His gift was his ability to be the same person with everyone, treating all with respect, kindness, and humor. When family was out and about with him, often someone would stop to talk or shout out a ‘hey, Greg!’ 

He was a good man, well-liked by many throughout his life. He’s now at peace, sharing stories with his much-loved mother, who died in 2001, and with his grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends who preceded him in death. 

He is survived by his father and his sisters, Sharron Sellers (Marlin Appelwick), and Linda Sellers, and his nephew and nieces, Jonathan, Annaliese and Megan McCambridge. 

A celebration of Greg’s life will be held at 2 p.m., April 28, at the Hillcrest Memorial Center in Kennewick. Memorial donations may be given to the Greg Sellers Memorial Fund (WSU Tri-Cities campus) at wsu.edu/give or sent to the WSU Office of Advancement, 2710 Crimson Way, Richland, 99354.