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George Henry Sellers
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Businessman, grain merchant.
Born in Winnipeg on 19 April 1914, son of Henry E. Sellers and Irene Maulson (1886-1941), he was educated at Ridley College (St. Catharines, Ontario) and the Faculty of Law at the University of Manitoba. An avid interest in aviation originated with his military service during the Second World War, when he served as a pilot and Group Captain with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Subsequently, in 1974, he was appointed Honorary National President of the Royal Canadian Air Force Association.
Sellers was an entrepreneur in many businesses particularly in the oil and gas sector, and in aviation-related industries. He founded TransAir and Bailey Selburne Oil & Gas. With Ernest H. Moncrieff and C. Gordon Smith, he founded Standard Aero Engine Limited. From 1963 to 1972, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of Federal Grain Limited (later Federal Industries Limited). He served over 20 years as a director of the Bank of Montreal. At the time of his death, he was President of Sellers-Dickson Securities Limited, and a director of Royal Trust for the Prairie region.
On 26 September 1935, he married Margaret Anne Aikins at Grace United Church and they had three children: David Henry Aikins Sellers (husband of Erin Gail Britton), Anne Sellers, and Joan Sellers. He served as Chairman of the United Appeal and President of the St. John’s Ambulance Association. He served on the Centennial Citizens Campaign of the Manitoba Centennial Corporation, an active worker in the Anglican church, and a member of the Board of the Winnipeg General Hospital. His hobbies included fishing, hunting, and skiing. He was a member of the Lakewood Country Club. When Governor General Viscount Alexander visited Winnipeg in 1950 to review relief efforts during a devastating flood, Sellers served as his Aide-de-Camp. In 1970, his community service was recognized by a Manitoba Centennial Medal from the Manitoba Historical Society.
He was a brother-in-law of judge Robert George Brian Dickson.
He died at his Winnipeg home on 17 December 1986 and was buried in the St. John’s Cathedral Cemetery.
See also:
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Sellers Barn (RM of St. Francois Xavier)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Carpenter Housebarn (RM of St. Francois Xavier)
Birth registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“Sellers-Aikins vows unite two prominent families of Winnipeg,” Winnipeg Free Press, 28 September 1936, page 6.
“Sellers-Britton,” Winnipeg Tribune, 23 December 1961, page 18.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 18 December 1986, page 54.
“Colleagues mourn passing of Sellers,” Winnipeg Free Press, 20 December 1986, page 3.
Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.
We thank James Arnett, Dean Black, and Alexander Sellers for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 19 July 2024
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