Audrey Mae Sellmer, 92

Audrey Mae Sellmer was born Sept. 23, 1933, in Billings, Montana, and died April 23, 2026, at her home in Heron, Montana, at the age of 92. She was the second-oldest child with three brothers, Calvin, Kenny and Harold.

She graduated from Noxon High School in 1951.

She is survived by her sons, Bill, Darrell, and Blaine; grandchildren, Chase, Stephanie, J.D. and Brooke; and many great-grandchildren as well as many nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death were her parents, Myra and Wayne Wilson; her brothers, Calvin, Kenny and Harold.; her husband, Bob Sellmer; a son, Bobby Sellmer; and a grandchild, Shawn Goforth. 

The area Audrey’s family was living was very dry and they had no luck in raising crops. Audrey’s dad worked in the coal mine near Butte and her Mom had the Franklin post office in their house. Her dad was discharged from the service in 1920 as a World War I veteran with a veteran pay of $75 per month to support the family.

In 1936, Audrey’s parents, Myra and Wayne Wilson, came to Heron to look at 80 acres owned by Jay Harker. A deal was made to purchase the land and the family moved out in the fall of 1937. They had two trucks; one held the horses, cows, sheep plus a few chickens and the family dog and the second truck had the furniture. Her Dad drove a 1929 Oldsmobile and with the four kids their mom and luggage they moved into a two-room tar-paper house with a bunkhouse for the boys. There was also a garage, woodshed, chicken house, a barn with a cellar, not to mention the two-seat outhouse.

That fall was real tough since there was no time for crops. They had spring on the hill and a well that was piped to the garden and house. The Sanders County Commodity truck came to town with food for anyone in need. The neighbors helped out with apples and potatoes and occasionally they borrowed money for the 3 cent postage stamp. The winter offered lots of snow that covered their fence line with no way in or out, walking was your only option. The county plowed the county roads but not the side roads but when her mom was sick the county did plow. The only phone in the area was at Mrs. Larsen’s store.

In 1938, her dad got a job working with the railroad and spent his days off clearing land. Once cleared, the real work began. The brothers would hitch up the horses and load the stumps to haul to the side of the property to burn. Her mom helped with everything from housework, baking 10 loaves of bread every other day in a wood stove for lunches, washed clothes in a gas Maytag washing machine and then hung them outside. All the family participated in milking the cows, making the butter; they sold cream during the summer to the creamery in Clark Fork. They planted a large garden which included the weeding, watering and the fall harvest. They had chickens with plenty of eggs for eating, pigs and sheep. Audrey rode the horse to the pasture as she was in charge of herding the sheep and cows and helped with the lambing. 

Audrey attended Heron elementary but there were no buses. She walked a mile to school and back. Once she moved on to Noxon High School, buses were able to take the kids to school. There was no electricity in the school so they used kerosene lamps. Electricity finally arrived in 1945. They got pencils and fountain pens and a bottle of ink to put in the hole on the desk. Once out of school Audrey spent 6 months as the janitor, hauling wood up and down stairs, washing blackboards and windows, sweeping the floors daily and mopping floors on Friday. She also taught kids in the lower grades until a teacher was hired. She couldn’t remember her wages but she said it was monthly.

In 1951, she married Bob Sellmer. He was a truck driver and guitar player. Audrey also played the piano. They soon started playing music in the local taverns which lasted for many years. She had four sons, Bobby, Bill, Darrell and Blaine which kept her hopping over the years and as they came of age, would also play music with their folks. 

Audrey worked for 10 years at the Pend Oreille Shores in Hope. She enjoyed meeting new people and women’s lunches were a highlight. She joined the Women’s auxiliary and was the secretary. She kept track of every person she met and tried to stay in touch with them all. She loved the outdoors, hunting, fishing and the many local animals that she saw and named.

She was also a member of the New Life Fellowship Church’s worship team, named the Sellmer 4; singing or playing the piano. Other members of the worship team were Pastor and niece, Irene (Sellmer) Anderson, grandniece, Teresa Anderson, grandnephew Jeremy Stover, close friend Terese Helvey, and son Bill with his wife Phyllis.

The main highlight of her life was her walk with Jesus. She maintained her walk over the years, overcoming many stumbling blocks. She was faithful to her beliefs and She loved to share her testimony. She would see someone in need of prayer and take their hand. She brought many people to the Lord. She was a true matriarch of the church. 

She will be missed by all for her smile, love, prayers and blessings she shared with us all.

Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, May 2nd at the Heron Community Center at 2:30 pm MST. Gravesite services follow at the Heron Cemetery and back to the Heron Community Center for early dinner/potluck.

Family and friends are invited to sign Audrey’s online guest book at coffeltfuneral.com

Arrangements are under the care of Coffelt Funeral Service.