Floyd Taylor Sellers

DR. FLOYD TAYLOR SELLERS, DDS

Long-time Henryetta resident and retired dentist Dr. Floyd Taylor Sellers passed away at his home on
Tuesday morning, May 26, 2020.

Floyd was born on August 7, 1936 in Bristow. He was the only son of Floyd Elbert Sellers, a Sapulpa
policeman, and Gracie Pearl Taylor, an employee of her family’s grocery store chain.

He began first grade in 1941 in Weleetka; but relocated to Sapulpa before completing his first school year.

Floyd continued his education at Sapulpa public schools and graduated from Sapulpa High School in
1954. At Sapulpa, he starred on the high school football team, played baritone in the marching band, and
participated in activities including DeMolay, Hi-Y and his senior class play. He was awarded the high
school Citizenship Award by the Daughters of the American Revolution.

In addition to his academic pursuits in Sapulpa, Floyd also helped in the family grocery business, and
worked in his uncle’s feed store. During his teen years, he was owner and operator of a feed and supply in
Sapulpa, which produced revenue that helped to finance his higher education.

After high school, he attended Northeastern A&M Junior College in Miami, Oklahoma on a football
scholarship. He was a two-year starter at center and nose guard, and was invited to play 4-year college
football at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah. At Miami, he also served in the local ROTC unit.

Although his football career was cut short due to injury, he graduated from NSU in January 1958, with a
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Psychology, and with minors in biology and education. In
Tahlequah, he was a member of Phi Sigma Epsilon fraternity, and was named to Who’s Who in American
Colleges and Universities.

Planning to eventually attend dental school, Floyd spent the academic year 1958-1959 teaching science
and coaching football at Sand Springs; where he earned a life-time undefeated record as head coach of the
junior varsity team.

After acceptance to the College of Dentistry at the University of Tennessee medical campus in Memphis,
Tennessee, he married his college sweetheart, Darlene Ann Maltsberger in Buena Park, California on
March 13, 1959.

Together, they relocated to Memphis for three years of dental school. Sellers graduated with a Doctorate of
Dental Surgery in March, 1962. The newly designated couple, Dr. and Mrs. Sellers, then returned to their
home state, where Floyd immediately accepted an appointment to the Oklahoma State Health Department
in Muskogee - where he served the public in Holdenville, Okmulgee and McAlester.

Dr. Sellers spent three months in Muskogee, where he also studied for his dental certification, and passed
his board exams in June of 1962.

In 1962, Dr. Sellers chose Henryetta to begin his practice and, since then, Henryetta has been his
workplace and home, where he earned his living, raised his children, and lived his life.

Floyd joined the Henryetta practice of Dr. Harry N. Wagner. The two dentists practiced on the second
floor of the Morgan Building (aka the “Opera House”) at 4th and Main in Henryetta.

Doctors Wagner and Sellers practiced together until Wagner’s retirement, when Dr. Robert Gerety joined
the Sellers practice at S. 6th. and Broadway. After five years together, Sellers struck out on his own and
established a new practice at 217 S 5th. Street.

He retired from dentistry in 2012, after five decades in the profession.

Of all his accomplishments, Dr. Sellers was most proud of his family. He was married to Ann for 61
years, and they were blessed with the birth of two children, Bradford Taylor and Sue Ann, and four
darling granddaughters.

Since 1962, Sellers has been a pillar of the community. He was elected to the Henryetta Board of
Education, and served on that body for five years, resigning only because he relocated his home outside
of his district. He was a long-time Rotarian, serving as President of the Henryetta chapter, President of the
Jaycees, and was active in and a supporter of Eagles, the local Chamber of Commerce and the Boy Scouts
of America. He was a constant supporter of local fundraisers, supporting area schools, churches and
charities too numerous to mention from Okmulgee, McIntosh, Okfuskee and Hughes counties. He also
provided pro bono dental care to Henryetta athletes for over forty years, and to nursing home patients in
Henryetta, Okemah and Weleetka.

A long-time member and leader of the First Christian Church, he served as Deacon, Elder and Chairman
of the Board.

Dr. Sellers was a member of the American Dental Association and the Oklahoma Dental Association, as
well as the Eastern Oklahoma Dental Association, the Oklahoma Dental Foundation and the University of
Oklahoma College of Dentistry Foundation. He also served on the Board of Visitors to the School of
Dental Hygiene at Rogers State College in Claremore, Oklahoma

He also served on the board of the Lake Eufaula Development Authority, and held various local and county
offices in the Republican Party.

Since the 1980s, Sellers has served as Director of the First National Bank of Henryetta, and later as
Advisory Director for the First National Bank of Henryetta, affiliated with the First National Banks of
Okmulgee and of Wewoka.

He was recipient of the Oklahoma Dental Association’s Thomas Jefferson Citizenship Award, the
Henryetta Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award, and was named a Paul Harris Fellow by
Rotary International. He was also named an “Everyday Hero” by the Tulsa Chapter of the American Red
Cross.

Famous friends included lifelong friend Ken Selby - founder of the Ken’s Pizza, Mazzio Pizza and Zio’s
restaurant chains; Steve Owens - 1969 Heisman Trophy winner and former OU Athletic Director, and
baseball legend Babe Chandler. He also practiced with close friend and prominent Tulsa Orthodontist Dr.
James S. Torchia, and in his last months spoke often by phone with former University of Oklahoma and
NFL running-back Joe Washington.

Dr. Sellers is survived by his wife, Ann, of the home; his two children, son Brad (wife Monika) of the
home and of Kollmann, Italy; his daughter Sue Ann Blair of Tulsa; and four granddaughters - Sailor Ann
Blair of Tulsa, and Ann-Sophie, Marie-Noelle and Madeleine Sellers of Italy.

Viewing for Dr. Sellers will be from 6-8pm, Monday, June 1, 2020 with family present to greet friends.

Services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 2, 2020 at Integrity Chapel with Stan Swyden as officiant. Interment will be on Wednesday at Masham Cemetery, north of Pawnee under the auspices of Integrity Funeral
Services.

The family suggests memorial contributions to the Dr. and Mrs. Floyd T. Sellers Memorial Fund at the
First National Bank of Henryetta, Oklahoma.

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