Georgia Ann Sells

Georgia Ann McCoy Sells, 80, died August 2, 2017, at Parkway Village Health Center in Little Rock, with family by her side. She was the daughter of Isaac (Ike) McCoy and Wanda Willhoite, born in 1936 in Pauls Valley, Okla. At the age of ten when her father returned from WWII, her family moved to the San Francisco Bay area in Richmond, Calif., where she lived for the next ten years making lifelong friends she enjoyed visiting and traveling with the rest of her days. She met and married her love Robert (Bob) Sells following a six-month whirlwind courtship in 1957 in Port Arthur, Texas. They enjoyed a lifelong covenant of love, celebrating 60 years of marriage in June. They moved to Little Rock in 1961 and would make Arkansas their forever home, where they raised their two children, Stacy and Mike. As a young mother, Georgia threw her energies into every aspect of Stacy and Mike's lives. From Classroom Mom and Scout Leader to PTA President and chief baseball enthusiast, she was present and involved with every part of her children's lives. She was also very active with the Democratic Party of Arkansas, twice serving as a delegate to the state convention. As her children grew older, she returned to her previous profession as an executive secretary, supporting high-level executives with the United Methodist Conference, the Arkansas State Senate and the Arkansas Department of Education. In 1976, she transferred her passion for working hard and doing things the right way to the real estate profession where her personable nature and desire to help others resulted in immediate and long-lasting success. She began her real estate career at McKay and Company and retired from the profession while with the Janet Jones Company. Her designations, affiliations and awards included: Life Member Million Dollar Club, 20 years as her company's top producer, 19-year recipient of the Sales and Marketing Excellence Award (SMEA), Executive Broker, Certified Residential Realtor (CRS/Top 5% in the country) and was voted "Best Realtor" by Arkansas Times readers in 1996. Georgia had an unwavering faith in God. A lifelong Methodist, Georgia joined Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church when she and Bob moved to Little Rock. She was very involved with her church and assisted with countless special events and fundraisers. A devoted member of the Dietz Dialogue class, Georgia also served on the Board of Stewards, Staff Parish Relations Committee, as a United Methodist Youth Counselor, Sunday School Teacher with the young children's program, Christ Care Leader, Energizer Choir, a volunteer with the United Methodist Committee on Relief, and selected as a Lay Leader with the United Methodist Conference. Georgia was an instrumental force and spent a year providing leadership to establish the Children's Learning Center – providing a high-quality preschool and after-school program for children. But her favorite roles in life were as a devoted wife, mother, sister, and friend. It was her role as "Nanny" to she and Bob's four granddaughters that brought special love and joy to her life. She spent years providing their granddaughters with unyielding love and support, celebrating every achievement and performance, planning summer and spring break trips, hosting friends for pool parties and legendary Easter egg hunts, driving carpools in the "Nan Van" and so much more. As her granddaughters describe it, she was the backbone of a long lineage of strong Sells women. Georgia was an excellent cook (winning a nation chicken cooking contest in the 1960's) and enjoyed preparing meals for family and friends. She loved hosting festive holidays, family get-togethers and dinner parties – any chance to spend time with those she loved. It was her family and friends that brought her the most joy in life. Georgia is predeceased by her parents and her beloved husband Bob. She is survived by her children, Stacy (Tim Gauger) and Mike (Bari); her four granddaughters: Emily Sweeney (David), Allyson Pittman Gattin (Ryan), Olivia Abernathy (Jon), and Anna-Lee Pittman; great-grandchildren, Avery and Annie Abernathy and Owen Sweeney; her sisters Alice McCoy and Kay Flynn; her great-aunt, Ruth McCoy Crews, a special cousin, Paula Crews Callaway (Jim); a host of nieces and nephews and many special family and friends. The family would like to thank the special caretakers from Parkway Village and Baptist Health Hospice who took care of both Bob and Georgia in their final year. Friends and family are invited to a celebration of life service Monday, August 7 at 2 p.m., at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church with a reception to follow. Arrangements are under the direction of Ruebel Funeral Home, www.ruebelfuneralhome.com. Memorial contributions can be made to the St. Luke Learning Center for Children, c/o PHUMC, 4823 Woodlawn Drive, Little Rock, Ark. 72205; or to the Robert K. Sells Scholarship in Journalism Fund, c/o Missouri School of Journalism, 103 Neff Hall, Columbia, Mo. 65211.