Barbara L. (Madsen) Sell

Barbara L. Sell, age 86, of Belle Plaine passed away on March 13, 2025, at Kingsway Senior Living. Memorial Service will be 3:00P.M. on March 24, 2025, at the Kolden Funeral Home in Belle Plaine. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Pastor Ed Frederick will officiate. Reception to follow immediately after service at Johan’s Bar and Grill. Memorial donations in memory of Barbara may be made to St. Croix Hospice or local Food Shelf.

Barbara was born on April 21, 1938, to Ove and Alice (Weinrich) Madsen in Culbertson, MT. Mom went to country school and when she was in second grade, she was the only student.  So, she “skipped” second grade.  Her family moved to Western MT when Mom was in eighth grade.  She graduated from Ronan High School in 1955 and went to Kinman Business University, graduating in 1957.  She met Marvin Lee at a church camp, and they married in June 1957.  To this union they had two daughters.  Mom spent over 50 years living in Glendive, MT. She started working at the First National Bank in 1964 as a teller and finished as Assistant Cashier. Mom married Ted Sell in October 1987. Ted passed away in December of 2017. Due to health issues Mom moved to Belle Plaine, MN in May of 2018 to be near her daughter.

Mom was a beautiful seam stress, quilter, and knitter. Mom won 1st prize at the Washington state fair in the “Make it with Wool” with a 2-piece suit.  Mom and Ted had a cabin at Fort Peck Dam, MT where they together spent many days, fishing, skiing and there always seemed to be a project on the property to be completed.

Survived by her two daughters, Sharon (Curtis) Meeds of Belle Plaine, MN, and Karen (Jim) Sefton of Seward, Alaska; grandchildren, Kevin (Ally) Meeds, Jackson and Madelyn, great grandchildren of Belle Plaine, MN, and Kelley (Cody) Hester of Anchorage, Alaska.

Stepchildren: Geoff (Jackie) Sell, Pinedale, WY; Gwenna Peters, Waterbury, VT; Geri (Pat) Cullinan, Glendive, MT; Greta (Eric) Beam, Billings, MT. grandchildren: Gerald, Bobby, Katy, Pam, Bryce, Brian, Megan and Mark. Numerous nieces, nephews, step-great grandchildren, other relatives and friends.

Preceded in death by her parents, husband Ted, brothers Lawrence Madsen and Lynn Madsen. Grandchildren Grant Sefton and Eric Meeds.