William Arnold Sellers, Jr.

William Arnold "Bill" Sellers, Jr., age 89, of Gainesville passed away Saturday, August 6, 2011, at his residence following a brief illness.

Born in Greenville, NC on July 27, 1922, Mr. Sellers was the son of William A. and Esther A. Sellers. He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Jane Herring; and a brother Phillip Sellers.

Mr. Sellers is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Miriam McCauley Sellers; sons William Arnold Sellers III, and Bruce McCauley Sellers, both of Gainesville; and a devoted brother-in-law, Dr. R.E. Herring, of Crozet, VA.

A proud Tar Heel all his life, Mr. Sellers graduated from Rocky Mount High School, Rocky Mount, NC, and enlisted in the US Army Air Force. A very proud member of America's "Greatest Generation", he joined the 351st Bomb Group of the Eighth Air Force, which was stationed in England. Following the war's end, he returned home to North Carolina, married his sweetheart, and began to work for the railroad in eastern North Carolina, trains being a life-long passion of his. He also began work as a part-time radio announcer. He moved his family to Gainesville in 1956, and for many years was known as a radio personality on WGGA, eventually becoming the station's program director. In 1965, with the death of Judge Sam Harben, the local weather observer for the National Weather Service, Mr. Sellers took over that job, and would continue as Gainesville's "cooperative weather observer" for more than 40 years. In 2003, the US Department of Commerce (NOAA) awarded him the John Campanius Holm Award "for outstanding accomplishment in the field of meteorological observations", and in 2010 he received the prestigious Dick Hagemeyer Award, given "for serving 45 or more years as a Cooperative Weather Observer". The love of trains would prove too strong, however, and in 1967, he went to work for the then Southern Railroad (now Norfolk Southern). Retiring in 1986, he then devoted himself to his hobby of model railroading, and as a member of the Norfolk Southern Historical Society also had several articles published in magazines devoted to railroading. We are quite sure that if there is a steam train running somewhere, Bill Sellers is going to be up there in that cab with the engineer.

A graveside funeral service will be held at Memorial Park Cemetery at 1 p.m. Tuesday, August 9, 2011. The Reverend Doug Dailey of Grace Episcopal Church will officiate.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Mr. Sellers' name to Hospice of Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Inc. 2150 Limestone Parkway, Suite 222, Gainesville, GA 30501. Words cannot express the debt of gratitude our family owes to the fine people in this organization. Donations can also be made to a charity of your choice.


Little & Davenport Funeral Home, 355 Dawsonville Highway, S.W., Gainesville, GA, 30501 is in charge of arrangements.


Those wishing to send online condolences may do so at littleanddavenport.com or via the online guestbook at gainesvilletimes.com.