Wanda A. Sellnow

Wanda A. Sellnow, 94 of Belle Plaine, passed away peacefully on November 10, 2023 at Kingsway Retirement Living in Belle Plaine.

Wanda was born September 4, 1929 in Waterloo, WI to Elmer and Bertha (Holzhueter) Draeger.  Wanda grew up on a farm in Waterloo and graduated Salutatorian from Waterloo High School in 1947. She then attended Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN and graduated in 1950.  After graduation, she was assigned to teach elementary grades in Belle Plaine, MN at Trinity Lutheran School.

On June 14, 1952, Wanda married Elmer Sellnow at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waterloo, WI.  Wanda and Elmer started out their married life on a small farm near Waterloo, WI.  After several years, they moved back to Belle Plaine and raised their family of six boys.  Later in life, they moved to Lake Jefferson by Cleveland, MN to enjoy the lake life and were also proud to be Winter Texans, residing in McAllen, TX for the better part of 10 winters.  Their final moves were back to Belle Plaine and eventually into Kingsway Retirement Living.

Wanda enjoyed baking, canning, fishing, gardening and playing cards with family and friends. She was delighted whenever there was a large family gathering.  After moving back to Belle Plaine, she returned to the classroom at Trinity Lutheran School, where she taught for over 20 combined years. During the summers, she worked various jobs at Norwesco and The Lutheran Home in the Dietary Department.  After retirement from teaching, she worked at Bethany Lutheran College in the Cafeteria as a cook.  Wanda and Elmer enjoyed traveling the country to see family and friends and even were privileged to visit Germany, Mexico, Alaska and Hawaii.

Wanda is survived by sons Ron (Barb) of Bloomington, MN; Dave (Denni) of Hubertus, WI; Tom (Janet) of Belle Plaine, MN; Larry (Lynn) of Montello, WI: Jeff (Annette) of Burnsville, MN; and Mark (Sue) of Goodyear, AZ; 18 grandchildren; 38 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren and one sister, Joanne Harms.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Elmer, her parents, in-laws, Carl and Leona Sellnow; Wesley and Edna Sellnow; Martin and Ruby Sellnow; Ben and Eleanora Sellnow; Lawrence and Marie Mueller; Verner and Esther Hillstrom; Rudolph and Ruth Mueller; Floyd and Nora Borchardt; and Gus Harms.

The family requests that any memorials be directed to Trinity Lutheran Church in Belle Plaine.  Funeral arrangements are being made by Kolden Funeral Home in Belle Plaine.  Funeral service will be held at 11am on Saturday, November 25, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Belle Plaine, with visitation two hours prior to the service.  Interment will be at Oakwood Cemetery following the service.

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