Eugene Robert Sellards passed away peacefully on March 1, 2021 in Vadnais Hgts., MN. We will miss hearing his stories one more time. Eugene was the third child born to Charles Edward Sellards and Emma Elenora Ottesen on January 5, 1927 in Duluth, MN. His sister, Elenora, was born July 6, 1912 and his brother Lester on July 31, 1915 at Nevis, MN. His younger brother Earl was born April 29, 1929 in Duluth, MN. The family lived at 103 ^rd St. in Gary, MN. Gene grew up in a neighborhood of second generation immigrant sons of many different backgrounds, his closest neighbors remaining his closest friends for life. Gene attended the Stowe School in Gary, MN until the 9 ^th grade. As a High School student, Gene was greatly impressed by the writings of James Fenimore Cooper; the adventuring spirit of Cooper's characters was acted out in real life by Gene's own Welsh ancestors who cut paths and built roads across the  frontiers of Virginia and Kentucky. That same indomitable attitude defined Gene. Eugene Sellards graduated from Morgan Park High School in Duluth, MN June 9, 1943. After graduation, Gene joined the Navy and was stationed in California, and later in Yokosuka Harbor, Japan, from 1944-1946. In 1950 Gene met Mardell Jackman through mutual friends. They were married at the home of Mardell's parents in Duluth on March 15, 1952. Gene was working for The Coolerator Co. in Duluth when their first child Cynthia arrived on April 20, 1953. Cynthia and her brother Craig have many happy memories of fishing with their Dad for sunnies, crappies, "wooleyes" and a mess of spelt. When Craig was born on  November 28, 1956 Gene was working for The Interlake Iron Co., a subsidiary of US Steel, where his father, Charles, had worked before him. He remained working there until 1963, then taking a job with The American Hoist and Derrick Co. in St. Paul, MN where the family relocated. Gene retired as a skilled "Marker-Burner" and "Steel-Cutter" belonging to the Intl. Assoc. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. Eugene Sellards has performed many services for The Veterans of Foreign Wars Organization, serving as Quarter Master and Commander at VFW posts in St. Paul. Gene was an avid sports fan, an excellent league bowler and a decent golfer, but most of all he was our favorite living-room referee. His call was final and you could always hear it above the blaring of the TV.  Mardell died Nov. 3, 1997. Shortly after New Year's Day of 1999, Gene was again the willing party of a setup when his neighbors, The Kobiilkas, introduced him to Glenyce Metzger at a VFW dinner. They married on August 25, 2000 in White Bear Lake at an historic home on the shore of the lake. Having resided in White Bear Lake, Hugo, and Vadnais Hgts. MN, they enjoyed twenty wonderful years of marriage together including the loving companionship of their blended families. Gene is survived by his beloved wife Glenyce of Vadnais Hgts., his daughter, Cynthia Gutweiler, her husband Bruce, their daughter Amanda (Nielsen), and her step-daughter Deirdre (Brisbois); also by his son Craig, his wife Theresa, and their son Dylan; also by stepson Bill Metzger and his wife Sue and their daughter Kate (Ronning), and their sons Steve and Mike; and by his step-son Jim Metzger and his wife Dorothy and their daughter Stacy (Bever) and by their son Joe; also by Gene's step-daughter-in-law Julianne Metzger of late Bob Metzger and their daughter Jenny (Knight), all of the Twin Cities. Gene also has seventeen step-grandchildren, and a brother, Earl Sellards of Duluth, MN, as well as many nieces and nephews residing in Minnesota, Washington, and Texas. Arrangements for Eugene Robert Sellards by Johnson Peterson Funeral Home.

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