Paul Sellers

Paul L. Sellers, Jr. age 102, of Perrysburg, passed away on Monday, June 21, 2021. He was a career glass-industry executive, retiring in 1982 as vice president of Libbey-Owens-Ford’s Glass Division (now Pilkington North America) after 37 years with the company. He then served another two years as a senior technical advisor for United Nations UNIDO headquarters in Austria and assigned to China. Paul was born in Kenmore (Akron), Ohio on July 31, 1918, to Paul L. Sellers, Sr. and Golden Mary (Lackey) Sellers. He married the former Elaine A. Stewart on July 30, 1938, in New Cumberland, WV. She survives him, along with their three adult children: Paul L. Sellers III, of Palm Springs, Calif.; Judith A. (Sellers) Beatty, of Mason, Ohio; and Ellen L. (Sellers) Fish, of Delta, Ohio. Also surviving are 11 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, and 13 great-great-grandchildren. Paul grew up in Akron, where he attended The University of Akron and the Cleveland Plastics Engineering School in Cleveland, specializing in engineering courses. He later audited courses at The University of Toledo. He obtained entry-level employment as an expeditor at Wright Tool & Forge Co., Barberton, Ohio, and later became a time study engineer at American Hard Rubber Company in Akron. Throughout most of the World War II, he was a standards and methods engineer at Goodyear Aircraft Corporation in Akron, working on projects vital to the war effort. With wartime employment winding down in 1945, he joined Libbey-Owens-Ford Glass Company as an industrial engineer at the East Toledo Laminating Plant. He served as an industrial engineer at two plants in Rossford, Ohio, before being appointed assistant plant manager at Glass plants in Shreveport, LA., and Charleston, WV., eventually becoming manager of the latter facility. He was also a plant manager of LOF Glass of Canada, Collingwood, Ont., before his promotion to vice president of manufacturing at the LOF Glass Division Executive Offices in Toledo. During his long business career, Mr. Sellers had important roles in a number of industrial and political associations. While residing in Waterville, Ohio, he was precinct committeeman, served on the board of public affairs and the charter committee, and also was elected mayor for two terms. In Perrysburg, he served on the board of zoning appeals and as a councilman. He was an arbitrator for the Toledo Better Business Bureau and a mediator for the Perrysburg Municipal Court and the Wood County Prosecutor’s Juvenile Mediation Program. He was also a past president of the Toledo Chapter of the American Institute of Industrial Engineers. His service club memberships included the Waterville Rotary Club, the Perrysburg Exchange Club, and the Canadian Progress Club in Collingwood, Ont. Mr. Sellers was a member of the Masonic fraternity for more than 75 years and belonged to the Phoenix Lodge in Perrysburg as well as the Zenobia Shrine in Toledo. He had achieved his 32nd Degree Scottish Rite standing in Canton, Ohio. He was also a member of the Maumee Hi-12, the Palestine OES, and the Maumee Elks Club. He was a board member of the Friendly Center, Toledo, and the Grace United Methodist Church in Perrysburg. He had served on Methodist Church boards in several communities where the family lived during his long business career. A graveside service will be held Saturday, June 26, 2021 at 11 A.M. at Highland Memory Gardens. Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Witzler-Shank-Walker Funeral Home, (419) 874-3133. Condolences may be made online to the family at www.walkerfuneralhomes.com