John Michael Sellars
1945-05-25 2022-02-20
John Michael Sellars
It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of John Michael Sellars, on Sunday, February 20, 2022 in Plano, Texas. John was born in May 25, 1945 in Fort Smith, Arkansas. He was the son of Lowell Benson Sellars and Mary iris Sellars. John attended Ballman Elementary, Ramsey Junior High and Fort Smith Northside High School, graduating in 1963. As a young man he was active in Boy Scouts and Little League Baseball, playing on the Midwest Boys team; in highschool he played for the Fort Smith Grizzlies football team. John went on the college, first at Fort Smith Junior College and then attended Arkansas Tech University, graduating with a degree in Parks & Recreation with a focus on Park Planning in 1969. He also recieved his masters in Parks & Recreation Administratin from the University of Northern Colorado in the early 70s, while he was working.
After graduation, he moved to Texas, where his first job was with the City of Irving for a short time as a park planner, and then moved to the City of Grand Prairie, where he spent 25 years as the Assistant Director and Director of Parks and Recreation. His favorite accomplishment was the design and construction of Tangleridge Golf Course. After retirement from the city in 1993, he took a job assisting with golf course design first with Golfscapes and then with Colligan Golf Design, both in Arlington. In 2002, he sought out a job with the TSA, working there for 5 years before retiring from the work world. He was elected to the Grand Prarie Parks & Recreation Department's Hall of Fame in 2005.
In his spare time, John played Rec League basketball and racquetball as a young man, in addition to umpiring softball and avidly collecting stamps. He had Dallas Maverick season tickets for a number of years, was a 32nd Degree Mason and a longtime member of the Thomas B. Hunter Lodge #1356 in Grand Prarie. He also was a member of the Shriner pistol club and participated in many competitions. He loved to travel, especially camping and crusing, was an avid golfer, but his dogs were always his favorite "people".
John is preceded in death by his parents. John is survived by his wife of 42 years, Jane Anne, of Frisco, his daughter, Erin of Seattle, WA and his two sisters, Elizabeth Adney and husband Ken, and Rebecca Sellars, all of Fort Smith, in addition to many cousins. He was a longtime member of Inglewood United Methodist Church and First United Methodist Church of Coppell. In leiu of flowers, donations can be made to the Music Ministry at First Methodist Church, Coppell. A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, March 13, at 2 pm at First United Methodist Church in Coppell.
It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of John Michael Sellars, on Sunday, February 20, 2022 in Plano, Texas. John was born in May 25, 1945 in Fort Smith, Arkansas. He was the son of Lowell Benson Sellars and Mary iris Sellars. John attended Ballman Elementary, Ramsey Junior High and Fort Smith Northside High School, graduating in 1963. As a young man he was active in Boy Scouts and Little League Baseball, playing on the Midwest Boys team; in highschool he played for the Fort Smith Grizzlies football team. John went on the college, first at Fort Smith Junior College and then attended Arkansas Tech University, graduating with a degree in Parks & Recreation with a focus on Park Planning in 1969. He also recieved his masters in Parks & Recreation Administratin from the University of Northern Colorado in the early 70s, while he was working.
After graduation, he moved to Texas, where his first job was with the City of Irving for a short time as a park planner, and then moved to the City of Grand Prairie, where he spent 25 years as the Assistant Director and Director of Parks and Recreation. His favorite accomplishment was the design and construction of Tangleridge Golf Course. After retirement from the city in 1993, he took a job assisting with golf course design first with Golfscapes and then with Colligan Golf Design, both in Arlington. In 2002, he sought out a job with the TSA, working there for 5 years before retiring from the work world. He was elected to the Grand Prarie Parks & Recreation Department's Hall of Fame in 2005.
In his spare time, John played Rec League basketball and racquetball as a young man, in addition to umpiring softball and avidly collecting stamps. He had Dallas Maverick season tickets for a number of years, was a 32nd Degree Mason and a longtime member of the Thomas B. Hunter Lodge #1356 in Grand Prarie. He also was a member of the Shriner pistol club and participated in many competitions. He loved to travel, especially camping and crusing, was an avid golfer, but his dogs were always his favorite "people".
John is preceded in death by his parents. John is survived by his wife of 42 years, Jane Anne, of Frisco, his daughter, Erin of Seattle, WA and his two sisters, Elizabeth Adney and husband Ken, and Rebecca Sellars, all of Fort Smith, in addition to many cousins. He was a longtime member of Inglewood United Methodist Church and First United Methodist Church of Coppell. In leiu of flowers, donations can be made to the Music Ministry at First Methodist Church, Coppell. A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, March 13, at 2 pm at First United Methodist Church in Coppell.