Eileen Caroline Sell, January 29, 1924 • January 30, 2023
Eileen Caroline Sell, 99, formerly of Murdock, Minnesota died Monday, January 30 at CentraCare Care Center in Willmar. Her Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 a.m., Friday, February 10 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Murdock. Visitation will be from 4-7:00 p.m., Thursday at the church and continue one hour prior to service. Burial will be at the church cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred and will be given to the Diocesan Mission at San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala.
Eileen Caroline Sell, 99, of Willmar, died Monday, January 30, at CentraCare Willmar Care Center. Eileen Caroline Sell was born January 29, 1924, to Peter and Bertha (Wurmstein) Wenisch in Springfield. She was baptized and later confirmed at St. Raphael’s Catholic Church in Springfield. Eileen grew up on the family farm where at an early age she learned how to care for her family and also helped with chores on the farm. She attended country school until the 8th grade. At seven years old, Eileen started working during summers for her aunt and uncle doing household chores and watching their children. At the age of 14, Eileen started dating Eugene “Gene” Sell.
During the start of WWII, Gene moved to Seattle where he worked repairing battleships. At age 18, she joined Gene in Seattle where she was a ‘Rosie the Riviter’ and worked as a rivet bucker building Boeing B-17 bombers, also known as the Flying Fortress. Gene went into Army Basic Training in early 1944. Eileen joined Gene and they were united in marriage July 22, 1944, at Camp Robinson, Little Rock, AR. Gene served in WWII and Eileen moved back to her parent’s farm in Springfield. Gene was wounded severely during the war and was sent to Fitzsimmons Hospital in Denver to recover. Eileen joined him in Denver where she worked at Gates Rubber Factory. They later moved to Visalia, CA, working in an olive factory, before moving back to Springfield where they rented a dairy farm from Gene’s parents.
To this union, Gerald and Judith and Daniel were born. In 1957, they moved to their own farm north of Murdock where they dairy farmed for 54 years. Eileen and Gene shared the work in the fields, Eileen driving tractor side by side with Gene tilling and harvesting the crops as a faithful and hardworking farm partner to age 74. Eileen was active with Gene in several farm organizations, and participated in Disabled American Veterans with Gene.
Eileen and Gene enjoyed their vacations including a driving trip to California and Alaska and a cruise through the Panama Canal.
She was a very faithful, devoted Catholic, a member of Sacred Heart Church, and active in Sacred Heart Council of Catholic Women. Eileen also enjoyed square dancing, polka dancing, fishing, and spending as much time as she could with family. She and Eugene were blessed to share 76 years of marriage.
In all of the ups and downs of life, she believed in and lived her Catholic faith, trusting in the Lord. She passed that faith, her work ethic, her values, and so much more to her family. She was a loving and devoted wife, mother and grandmother, and will be dearly missed by her family and friends.
She is survived by her children: Gerald (and Teresa) Sell of Bloomington, Minnesota, and Judith (and Philip) Hoffer of Kerkhoven, Minnesota; nine grandchildren: Matthew (and Tracee Mergen) Sell, Scott (and Rachael Torchia) Sell, Rachel Sell, Maria (and Scott) Steele, Kathy (and Mike) Busick; Michael Cook, Susanna (and Brent) Miller, Eric (and Jessica) Sell, and Kari (and Nicholas) Waller; and 20 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister, Joyce Gorres of Willmar.
Eileen was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Eugene; a son, Daniel K. Sell; son-in-law William E. Cook; and siblings: Helen Johnson and brother-in-law, Marvin; Irvin Wenisch and sister-in-law, Elizabeth; Vincent Wenisch, and sister-in-law, Irene; Clarence Wenisch and sister-in-law, Loretta; and infant grandchildren: Kate Sell, Aaron Sell, and Kristen Sell.
Arrangements are with Harvey Anderson Funeral Home in Willmar, www.hafh.org
