Elizabeth Ann Sell

Elizabeth Ann Wood Sell, known as “Betsy” by her friends and colleagues around the world, died on August, 24, 2015 in her Lake Mary, FL home. For nearly 45 years she was a revered pioneer and acknowledged leader in the global travel industry. Longtime friend, supervisor and former vice president of AAA travel, Sandra Hughes Salter of Heathrow, says “Betsy was a true icon in the travel industry and was well respected by executives in all facets of travel.” Betsy was born in Lisbon, Portugal on January 2, 1944 to her Austrian mother, Theodora Westermeyer, and American father, Keith Wood. She grew up in Europe where she spent summers in Vienna, Austria with her maternal grandmother and learned to speak 5 languages fluently – English, Portuguese, French, German, and Spanish. She graduated from university in Lisbon with a Bachelors degree. On Feb. 6, 1966, at age 22, she left Lisbon to relocate to New York City. After just two days in the city, she immediately began her job, and therefore 45-year career, with the American Automobile Association (AAA). Beginning with her initial position as an assembler of AAA’s well-known strip maps, the TripTik, Betsy used her intellect, quick wit, relationship management skills, and travel knowledge to ascend through numerous management positions within the association. Throughout the years, she escorted tours, managed operations, developed key national programs and negotiated worldwide industry partnerships on behalf of the AAA membership. Robert Drumm, President of Alexander & Roberts (formerly known as General Tours), says Betsy was “firm in her support of the member, yet understanding and kind in understanding the world around her.” The association was relocated from New York City to Washington, DC in 1973. A former employee who worked for Betsy as a young girl fresh out of college recollects, “Betsy had the ‘I can do it all’ attitude. She mentored so many of us, teaching us to strive to be the best we could be.” After marrying J. Robert “Bob” Sell on July 8, 1978, Betsy gave birth to their daughter 9 years later in 1987, Mary Elizabeth. Thus began the dual role of a pioneering female in AAA management and a new mother. Says Mary, now working in the fashion industry in New York City, “ My mom has been and will continue to be the best role model a daughter could ask for. She made me into the woman I am now, and was my best friend.“ In 1989, AAA again relocated their national headquarters, this time to Heathrow, FL. Although many associates chose not to leave the Washington, D.C. area, the Sell family joined those who moved to the Sunshine State. They built a home in Timacuan Country Club in Lake Mary, and have lived there for the past 26 years. Betsy rebuilt her travel team in the new Central Florida location, continued to develop new travel partnerships, and was promoted to Managing Director. “Betsy was an extremely strong woman, a tough negotiator, but with a heart of gold,” says Claire Bilby, a senior vice president at Disney. Devoted friends and colleagues for nearly twenty five years, Bilby adds that the initial business relationship between AAA and Disney evolved into a lifelong friendship between Betsy and herself. “I feel very lucky to have been able to spend some quality time with Betsy. She was a remarkable lady,” says Guy Young, President of Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection. Betsy loved cruising, especially river cruising in Europe, most recently on a river boat cruise in the Bordeaux region of France with her daughter and Betsy’s close friends. Sell retired in 2010 and was honored with the association’s first AAA/CAA Travel Recognition Award in 2014 by former AAA CEO, Robert Darbelnet, for her 45 years of service. “As the award recipient, Betsy embodied the best of qualities for any executive: highly knowledgeable, very determined, completely reliable and particularly gifted in bringing together people with different views and getting them to agree on a common way forward.” he says. In addition to her worldwide responsibilities as a travel executive, Betsy traveled extensively on her own. Just recently, she and Mary visited several of the locations where Betsy spent her youth. Sharing her memories and early influences with her daughter were on Betsy’s personal bucket list after she was diagnosed with cancer 18 months ago. “We traveled back to Lisbon, Portugal and you could see how at home she was there. Most recently, we went a month ago to Vienna, Austria, and I was able to visit my great-grandmother’s home, and attend Vienna’s 450th Anniversary of the Spanish Riding School at the Hofburg Palace – an event that I know my mom truly treasured,” Mary notes. An exceptional hostess and talented gourmet cook, Betsy was well known for her many home entertainment events. As another colleague reminisces, “Anyone lucky enough to attend a party at Betsy’s came home full of great food and wine.” Her yards in Haymarket, VA, near Falls Church, and in Lake Mary, are adorned with well manicured shrubs and a profusion of flowers, as well as her own vegetable garden. She also looked forward to her bi-weekly yoga sessions, where she became limber and agile. Her devoted husband, J. Robert Sell, passed away in July, 2011 at age 83. In addition to daughter Mary, Betsy is survived by her step daughter, Patty and husband Jeff Green of Lake Mary, and their son Jason; step son Bob and wife Judy Sell of Horseheads, NY; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Art and Sue Sell of Ephrata, PA. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations are made to Pet Rescue by Judy, 401 South Laurel Avenue, Sanford FL 32771 (petrescuebyjudy.com) or Hospice of the Comforter, 595 Montgomery Road, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714 (hospiceofthecomforter.org). The “Celebration of Betsy’s Life Memorial Service” will be Sunday, August 30, 2015 at 2:00 PM at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 700 Rinehart Road, Lake Mary, FL 32771