Clara A. Sellheim

Clara Sellheim, ninety-seven, of Moorhead, MN, passed away on January 10, 2023. She was born to Ella (Puppe) and Paul Schwartz in 1925 on a farm near Crystal, ND. She married Willard Sellheim June 23, 1951. Together they raised three daughters, Corliss, Judi, and Deborah. 

She is survived by daughters, Corliss (Gerald) Nilsen, Judi (Mike) Sorrell, and Deborah Narlock (Larry Robb), seven grandchildren, eighteen great grandchildren, and six great great grandchildren. She is predeceased by her husband, infant son, brother Leonard Schwartz, son-in-law Mike Sorrell, and great granddaughter Carissa Odegaard. 

Clara was the valedictorian in her high school class in Hensel, North Dakota. (She readily admitted that there were only two other students in her class.) She attended Aakers Business College in Grand Forks, ND. After college, she and her cousin Elaine moved to Olympia, Washington, to work at Boeing during World War II. Later she worked as a secretary at Anderson Harvest Implement Dealership in Hensel and in various offices until she retired. Never a stranger to hard work, she picked potatoes and cooked for the farm help during harvest. 

Clara will be remembered as a prayer warrior, Sunday school teacher, and for driving many miles to an Apostolic church. In her later years, nursing home staff spoke often of her kindness. For not growing up with technology, Clara loved her iPad and FaceTimed her family. When she wasn’t physically able to attend church, she watched online. 

She never turned down chocolate, ice cream, or a cup of coffee, and was a hostess extraordinaire for the much loved “chips and sauce” parties whenever her grandchildren were around. 

Visitation will be Saturday, January 14, from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m., followed by the memorial service at 1:00 p.m., at LifePoint Sanctuary, Moorhead, MN.