Zella Sellmansberger

Zella May Schaub was born to Russell & Stella Schaub on a farm in Independence, Kansas and grew up with one brother, Phillip, and two sisters, Lila and Louise. The family’s midwestern genes were hardy, as all members of her family lived past 85 years, including her grandmother, who lived to 102 years old. Zella was the last survivor of her family.

Zella’s family lived through the “great depression”, and while she said they never “went without”, that period of her young life profoundly influenced her lifelong sense of values.

Independence, Kansas was a small town of 10,000 population, then and now, so everyone knew each other. Always a leader, Zee was a member and Commander of her high school Drum & Bugle Corps, played tennis on the school team, Editor of her High School yearbook, shared Editor of her high school weekly newspaper, and was involved in many other organizations.

While still in high school, Zee attended a weekend YWCA/YMCA retreat to Colorado. A canvas-covered truck stopped at several nearby towns to pick up attendees. When the truck arrived in Independence, a handsome red-haired young man that Zee didn’t know jumped off, helped her onto the truck, sat next to her and paid attention to her as if she were the only girl in the world. Zee was absolutely thrilled! But. . . . at the next stop, the young man again jumped off, helped several more girls onto the truck – and his attentions were now no longer focused on Zee. She was so disappointed – the man of her dreams had slipped into – and out of - her life in a matter of minutes.

After graduating from high school, Zella attended Kansas State College in Pittsburg, Kansas – where that same handsome red-haired young man, Leonard Sellmansberger, just happened to also attend and lived with his family. Coincidence? By design? Or by providence? They dated throughout college and were married after his graduation in 1943.

Leonard joined the Army and after basic training and officer’s candidate school transferred to the Army Air Corps. He was sent to New York to wait for further orders – possibly to be sent into action, as we were in the middle of World War II. Leonard and Zee took the train to NY and rented an apartment in a home in Nyack, just up-river from New York City. During their six week honeymoon there, they took full advantage of all the sites New York had to offer, spending all the money they had saved. Leonard received orders for Hawaii, and Zee returned to Kansas to wait for his return. They were reunited during the war and lived for a year in Texas while Leonard was commandant of pilot training at Waco Army Airfield.

After the war, Leonard began working for Sears Roebuck and the happy couple lived in Nebraska and Kansas, before moving south - first to Atlanta, then Greenwood, SC, Moultrie, GA, and then back to the Atlanta area, where they made their permanent home in 1965 in Tucker, GA, and established many lifelong friendships.

Having learned to play bridge in college, Zee and Leonard enjoyed playing with other couples and groups, and Zee joined a weekly ladies’ bridge club. She took her bridge very seriously and became very good at it.

Zee was always the first one to volunteer for all her children’s activities, including Brownie Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, room mother, and she also enjoyed teaching Sunday School.

Leonard & Zee joined Shallowford Presbyterian Church and attended regularly for about a year, but when they learned of a new church being formed in Tucker, they decided to move their membership so that they could help establish and build this new church, St. Andrews Presbyterian, into a strong local congregation. They quickly volunteered for many different committees and became lifelong friends with the founding pastor, Dick Dodds, and his wife, Betty.

Zee served as chairperson of the Décor Committee for many years, served on the wedding guild, and established and set up the Bridal Room and registry. She was an Elder, served on the Session, and was active in the 39’ers seniors group, where she held numerous elected offices. She was active in the Presbyterian Women, serving as Treasurer, circle leader, and church historian. In 1991 Zee was honored with lifetime membership in the Presbyterian Women. She served as an aid to worship, and served on a committee that developed the use of liturgical colors in the sanctuary, and was the primary designer and fabricator of four banners and pew markers, still in use today.

In 1991, Zee began the tradition of Chrismon ornaments (Christmas tree ornaments that reference a Bible verse) at St. Andrews, which she continued for 14 years. Each ornament was handmade by Zee, and several other volunteers, and given to every child attending Christmas Eve Services. The ornaments took months each year to plan, design, and make.

Zee was a caring and selfless woman who faithfully embodied the truths of Jesus Christ, readily volunteering her time, love, and talents to her church, family, and anyone else in need.

Zee was very talented and creative. When she was a young bride, she had her own small business called “Dolly Duds”, producing hand-made doll clothing, to order. Later, she knitted matching Christmas stockings (a total of 52!) through the years for every family member, including her children’s spouses, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and even for her nieces, nephews, and their children! She was an amazing seamstress, and one of her passions (and prides) was putting more than “a million miles” on her sewing machine. If she couldn’t find clothing in a store that she liked, she would browse through the local fabric store, often with 1-3 children in tow (much to the chagrin of store employees), buy some fabric and then go home and “crank up” the sewing machine. Her friends usually wanted to know where she bought that beautiful blouse, dress, or jacket so that they could get one, too.

Zee liked the phrase “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”, and along with Leonard, could take a discarded piece of wood, staircase newel, or anything else and turn it into a beautiful lamp, table, plant stand, etc. that decorated their home with their own unique style.

She delighted in, and was very talented at, writing poems for any and all occasions, including birthdays, weddings, friends’ retirements or moving away, and always adorned those cards with her own drawings. She wrote short stories for her own enjoyment and was thrilled to be able to say she was a “published” author.

Zee and Leonard spent 56 happy years together prior to his death in 1999.

Zella May Schaub Sellmansberger had a profound love of the Lord, family, friends, and her church. She left an indelible mark on everyone and every place she encountered while walking this earth. She is greatly missed by family and friends, but Heaven rejoiced greatly upon her arrival.