Alvina (Tesdahl) SELLERS
SELLERS, BALLOU, TESDAHL, LARSON, ARMSTRONG, HANSON
Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 9/20/2006 at 15:21:23
Clarion’s Iowa Hat Lady, Alvina Sellers, 87, died Sunday, June 1, 2003 at Rochester, Minnesota, following a short illness. Visitation was from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday at Willim Funeral Home. Services will be held at First Lutheran Church, Clarion at 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 5. Lunch will be served at Heartland Museum, Clarion, following the committal service at Evergreen Cemetery.
“Clarion lost a great ambassador,” said City Administrator, Vicky Boyington. Larry Guth echoed that sentiment. “She was one of the best ambassadors for Clarion,” he said. “Wherever she went she promoted Clarion.” She went a lot. Alvina Sellers began giving her hat programs in 1968. She said she was shy and had to be asked three times before doing the first program for a neighborhood club. Thirty-five years and about 5,600 programs later she was anything but shy. “She was always positive, full of energy and she had a lot of spirit,” said Guth. “Who else could have pulled off that rah, rah, sis boom bah at the Homecoming parade?” Alvina donned her Clarion High School cheerleading outfit every fall for the parade and pep rally. “I remember the first time we watched the Homecoming parade here,” said Steve Burkheimer. “We were just amazed to see Alvina with the cheerleaders. She had such spirit.”
Alvina traveled from Los Angeles to New York City and from North Dakota to Texas to give her programs, visiting over 20 states. She gave her final program, number 5,636 on Saturday, May 17 in Rochester, Minnesota. She always traveled by car, first with her husband of 63 years, Lewllien (L.W.), and following his death in 1998 by herself, with her sister-in-law, Elaine Tesdahl or with friends. Miriam Jensen was one of her more recent traveling companions. “I learned so much from Alvina. She had such a quick wit and a terrific memory,” said Jensen. “We had so much fun. When you travel with a celebrity you feel so special.She often drove to the event and I would drive home. She always wanted to get there early. I kidded her that if she didn’t slow down her next hat would be a patrolman’s hat,” Jensen said. “Finally she started letting me drive both ways. I’d unload the hats and unload her, park the car and then come back and carry the hats in. One time I carried in a football helmet three programs in a row and she didn’t ever use it in the program. It was too tight for her hair. So I just said, ‘Alvina, why don’t you quit bringing this heavy old thing?’ So she did. I’ll miss her terribly.”
Special events for Alvina always included the Festival in the Park and the Iowa State Fair. She was a regular on the stage at the Variety Theatre and in the State Fair Parade. A special trip for her came when the David Letterman Show called the Variety Theatre at the Iowa State Fair. They were looking for someone with vim, vigor and vitality. They got the Hat Lady. She and L.W. flew to New York for the show and the hat which Letterman gave her was a special one in her collection of over 6,000 hats. The Clarion community recognized the value of Alvina and her hat collection and on June 1, 2002, Alvina’s Hat Parlor opened at Heartland Museum. The Victorian hat shop and parlor house some of Alvina’s collection and provide visitors with a videotape presentation by Alvina. Her spirit may be wearing a hat and giving presentations in heaven now, but fortunately we can still view her presentation at the Museum.
Alvina Ruth Tesdahl was born November 17, 1915 on a farm north of Holmes in Wright County, Iowa. She was the daughter of Henry and Anna Larson Tesdahl. Following the death of her mother, Alvina helped raise her two younger sisters, Margaret and Mim and brother, Rich. She attended a rural school in Norway Township, north of Clarion and graduated from Clarion High School in 1932. She later taught students in the same one room schoolhouse she attended as a child. On August 17, 1937, Alvina married L.W. Sellers. They made their home first in Austin, Minnesota and later on farms north of Clarion and south of Eagle Grove. In 1950 they moved to the Fry family farm in Wall Lake Township south of Clarion. Alvina was named a Master Farm Homemaker in 1967. She served as a 4-H club leader for 15 years, receiving the Wright County 4-H Alumni Award in 1975. She was a Life Member of the Associated Country Women of the World. Alvina was an active member of the community. She served as Chairperson of the Wright County Farm Bureau Women. She received the AAUW Woman of the Year Award in 1997 as well as the Outstanding Long-Term Service Award from the Clarion Chamber of Commerce in 1998. She as a member of the Friendly Neighbor Club, Christian Women’s Club, Hospital Auxiliary, Federated Club and Wall Lake Monday Club. She was a member of the Clarion School Board for ten years. Alvina was a member of First Lutheran Church, Clarion and served as Sunday School Superintendent, teacher and FLCW President. She was the first woman Deacon in her church.
Alvina was preceded in death by her husband, L.W.; a granddaughter, Jackie Denise Sellers; and sister, Margaret Armstrong. She is survived by her daughter, Dr. Sandra Sellers Hanson of New York City; son, and daughter-in-law, James and Joan Sellers of Clarion; grandsons, Jason Sellers of Scottsdale, Arizona and Jay Sellers of Bloomington, Minnesota; sister, Dr. Mim Ballou and husband, Phil, of Marco Island, Florida; brother, Rich Tesdahl and wife, Elaine, of Clarion; as well as many nephews and nieces.
by Barbara Mussman
Date of Publication: June 4, 2003
© Wright County Monitor 2003
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