Theodore Ernest Sellman

96, of Richmond, died Tuesday,

December 6, 2011. A beloved husband,

father, grandfather, brother, uncle and

friend, Mr. Sellman is survived by his

wife of 73 years, Aurelia Mozel; and his

son, James Sellman and wife, Barbara

of Richmond. He was predeceased in

death by his sister, Alice Allison of

Dearborn, Mich. Mr. Sellman is also

survived by his sister, Marianne Baum

of Bloomfield Hills, Mich.; two grandsons,

Michael Bruce Sellman of New York,

N.Y. and Jeffrey Bruce Sellman of Philadelphia,

Pa.; and a host of friends and relatives.

Mr. Sellman was a member of Bon Air

Christian Church and served as deacon,

elder and president of The Men's Class

at Labelle View Christian Church in

Steubenville, Ohio. He was an active

and energetic volunteer in teaching retailing

and consumer education in the Fort Worth,

Texas and Arlington, Va. school systems

and in leadership roles with Boy Scouts

of America. As a 53 year Mason, he was

a dedicated member of The Scottish Rite

Temple and Masonic Lodge in Steubenville,

Ohio and Chesterfield, Va. Lodge #1294.

Mr. Sellman gave generously of his time,

talents and leadership to his community

by serving as head of American Red Cross

fundraising, president of The Retail Merchants

Association, officer and committee

chairmanships in Kiwanis and Lions

Clubs and on the advisory board of

First American Bank in Arlington

and Fairfax, Va. Mr. Sellman served

our country during World War II in the

U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps and as

a drill instructor. Higher education

included studies at the Universities of

Denver and Colorado. His professional

career included management positions in

the grocery business and a long and

successful career starting in 1940 with

the J.C. Penney Company as a store

manager. His particular talent was opening

new stores and rehabilitating troubled ones.

His friends and family will remember him

as a man who had the ability to maintain

optimism and live in the moment, laugh at

and appreciate the paradoxes of life, take

enormous pleasure in the accomplishments

of his family, especially his grandsons, live

the Golden Rule daily, and share his talents

as an accomplished artist, athlete and musician.

He lived as an enthusiastic student of science,

religion and the affairs of man, finding

beauty and fascination in even the simple

creations of man and nature. Graveside

services will be held 10 a.m. Friday,

December 16, at Forest Lawn Cemetery,

4000 Pilots Lane. In lieu of flowers,

memorial contributions may be made to

Shriners Hospitals for Children, c/o

ACCA Shrine Center, 1712 Bellevue Ave.,

Richmond, Va. 23227.