Mary Lucile Robertson Sellers passed away surrounded by her family on April 2, 2022.
Mary Lu was born November 7, 1951, to Mark and Marilyn Robertson. She grew up in Springville, Utah. From a young age, she had a love for animals, something she carried with her throughout her life. If there was a stray dog or cat, she was known to take them in.
Mary Lu served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Scotland, the land of her ancestors. Her children remember listening to her tell them stories of her mission, that they will cherish forever. Mary Lu loved the gospel of Jesus Christ, and she had a strong testimony. She not only taught the gospel, but she showed by example what a real Christian looks like. She showed love to everybody, even to those who seemed unlovable.
On December 20, 1974, Mary Lu married Samuel S. Sellers, in the Provo Utah Temple. Together they built a beautiful family of 7 children and 10 grandchildren. Mary Lu was close to all of her children. She had this sixth sense when it came to them. She would know something was wrong before anything was said and she was always there for them when they needed her! The love for her children was great, but the love she had for her grandchildren was even greater! She loved to spoil her grandchildren every chance she got, even if that meant reading the same book over and over and over….
Mary Lu was such an accomplished and talented lady! She was creative and she enjoyed making things, whether it be paintings, cardboard furniture for a dollhouse, or the many beautiful afghans she crocheted! Mary Lu had degrees in music, teaching, massage therapy, and in special education. She played the piano and violin, creating some of her own music! Mary Lu fiddled on her violin for the Utah Old Time Fiddlers, and she toured the world with the BYU Folk Dancers. She enjoyed singing in choirs and she sang in the Payson Civic Choral. Mary Lu taught her children how to play different stringed instruments until she had her own quartet. They got roped into playing for many weddings together.
Mary Lu was adventurous. She loved camping, hiking, and swimming with her family. Arches National Park was her favorite place to camp. If she went to an amusement park, she would be first in line to ride the roller coasters and any other ride that looked dangerous. She loved life and was like a ray of sunshine! She also had a fascination with prime numbers.
Mary Lu has blessed the lives of so many, and she will be sorely missed! She is survived by her husband, Samuel Surrett Sellers, (who has stayed by her side through thick and thin); her children: Marilee (David) Nelson, Becky Heffelfinger, Spencer (Nicole) Sellers, Lisa Sellers (Sam Sutherland), Jacob Sellers, Mark Sellers, Kristi Sellers; her mom, Marilyn Robertson; her sister, Gloria (Robert) DeWitt; and her brothers: James (Bonnie) Robertson and Charles (Becky) Robertson. She was preceded in death by her dad, Mark Robertson.
Funeral Services will be held Friday, April 8, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at the Payson 15th Ward LDS Church. There will be a visitation Thursday evening, April 7, 2022, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Walker Funeral Home, 587 South 100 West, Payson, Utah 84651. Family and friends may also visit at the church on Friday morning from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. prior to the funeral. Interment will be at Payson City Cemetery following the funeral service.
Livestream – Mary Lu Sellers
6 Condolences for Mary Lu Sellers
Condolences(6)
Sharon Hiatt says
April 4, 2022 at 11:37 pmI love Mary Lu! She was such a fun person! When I joined the Hiatt family, she made me a welcome member of the Robertson tribe, too–along with all the other wonderful Robertson family members! It was a delight to make music with her! She will be greatly missed!
Theresa Robertson Thomas says
April 5, 2022 at 5:57 pmMary Lu was my best friend cousin. I love her and look forward to seeing her again and sharing many more conversations and experiences.
I will forever treasure memories of our childhood overnighters and adventures. With her sister Gloria and my sister Lorraine, we made a fearsome foursome.
My earliest memory of our togetherness was when they were at our house in Spanish Fork. Mary Lu was 5, I was 4, Gloria 3 and Lorraine 2. We “borrowed” some money from my mom’s purse, took it to the little store across the street, and bought some gum. We hid in a closet because even at that age, Mary Lu and I knew we were being naughty. I still remember blinking in the light and looking way up at my mother when she opened the door and found us guiltily chewing away. Another guilty memory was when we were so rowdy at their Aunt Rhoda’s house, we were told to sit on a bench on the front porch and not move from it for 30 minutes. That was a long 30 minutes.
Because they lived in Springville and we in Spanish Fork, our families met together often. I remember Sunday visits at Grandma’s house (playing with dress ups in her attic) and at one another’s homes: playing outside in the summer and on wintry nights, our dads telling stories about the “olden days”. During our teenage years, we hiked Mapleton Mountain together (and with our Robertson aunts and uncles) at least once a year. I remember at least one shared vacation at Arches National Park, where their family introduced us to a secret enclosed cathedral of stone with shaded sand dunes inside of it. We could climb up onto a low arch on one side and tumble down into the sand. It was always heavenly to be with the Mark Robertsons; they were forever the catalyst for enlarged experience and happy times.
But the sleepovers were the paramount aspect of our cousinhood. I still remember some of the scary stories we four told one another, and later, sharing our opinions of various young men we knew and admired. We would talk until we fell into sleep at who knew what time. When at their house, we would get up in the mornings to a great breakfast with freshly prepared fruit juice. We would then take assignments to clean house so Aunt Marilyn could take us hiking in the foothills, visiting the art museum, or going to her school during hours when the halls echoed with solitude. Our home offered a towering tree out back, that offered two tree houses (boards nailed across two lower welcoming boughs in a horizontal fashion, and two up higher, with an incline approaching the perpendicular) and a rope swing tied in dependable navy knots so high aloft, we could swing from the peak of the chicken coop in huge arcs of motion.
One summer the four Mark Robertson kids came with us on our family vacation to a rented cabin in Fairview Canyon. This was my all time favorite vacation because they were with us. Though this was in July, the temperature fell below freezing that first night and we huddled our sleeping bags together to try to keep warm. But the remaining days were golden and memorable as we wandered in the hills and waded in streams, and talked and talked. I remember Mary Lu determined she would clean out an old cabin piano that had been neglected and inhabited by mice. She worked on it until it could be played again. Though she was a fine musician, the tinny and grating dissonance of this incomplete restoration was a happy triumph.
How to describe Mary Lu? I’m afraid we haven’t gotten together often during the demanding years or our adulthood but I know her to be ever cheerful, strong in her faith in Jesus Christ and His restored church, consistently and exquisitely authentic. She cherished Sam and her family and she was always willing to take on a new challenge for their sakes and for the joy of learning new things. Life seemed to her a constant adventure.
When I saw her last at a Robertson family reunion, I told her I was sorry that she was experiencing memory loss. She replied, “Why are you sorry? I am fine. Everything really is fine.” I thought to myself, “That’s Mary Lu in a nutshell. No matter what, the Lord is close by and so . . . everything is fine. Even when it isn’t.”
Mike and I send our sincere condolences to Sam and their children and grandchildren, to Aunt Marilyn and to all the extended family. At the same time, I love thinking of Mary Lu’s current reunion with her dad, Diane and Duane, Lynette, Dale, our Robertson grandparents, and many other loved ones. I know this: she will be as fervently missed on this side of the veil as she will be welcomed on the other side.
Marilee Nelson says
April 5, 2022 at 10:00 pmThank you for sharing these memories of my Mom! I loved reading about her childhood shenanigans with you!
Debra Green says
April 5, 2022 at 9:31 pmI will never forget Mary Lu. She was my best friend when I really needed a best friend. She was shining example of Christlike love and patience. I am sure heaven will appreciate having her bright spirit there again. Until we meet again , my friend. ♥️ Debra
Shersti Bahr Andersen says
April 7, 2022 at 5:25 amI’m so sad to hear of her passing. Bless you all! I just remember that she was so kind when I was able to be in your home. She raised some truly amazing kids as well.
Lorraine Morin says
April 7, 2022 at 9:41 pmMary Lu was a joyful, full of fun, cousin. I loved being the tag-a-long during our cousin adventures. I have many sweet memories of visits and sleep overs with her and Gloria. My thoughts and prayers are with Aunt Marilyn, Gloria, James , & Charles as we all miss Mary Lu’s lively spirit. To Sam and your children I hope you will all feel comforted knowing that you will be reunited again. Love to you all.
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