Carlos Lamar Sellers

Carlos Lamar Sellers, age 81, of Phenix City, Alabama passed away Thursday, April 11, 2024 at Columbus Hospice House.

Mr. Sellers was born September 9, 1942 in Appling County and was a member of Calvary Baptist Church. He retired from the United States Army where he rose to the rank of sergeant major -- the highest rank for an enlisted person -- during a career spanning 26 years, including tours of duty during the Viet Nam war.  He received many military honors, including the Soldiers Medal for Valor and Presidential Meritorious Awards.  Mr. Sellers was an avid fisherman and a member of many bass fishing clubs across the country at various duty stations. He also served as president and treasurer within those clubs. His most recent is the Uchee Creek Club. Mr. Sellers won many bass fishing tournaments including qualifying and fishing in the national Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (BASS) BASS Master’s Classic. He was a professional BASS fisherman and lake fishing guide. In the 1980s he was the BASS state of Virginia champion, a highlight of his fishing career. He also started his own fishing lure company, Water Witch Lures. Mr. Sellers served as a volunteer tutor for youth fishing organizations to promote “Get hooked on fishing – not on drugs” and was an advocate of pollution-free acts and legislation.

Mr. Sellers was preceded in death by his wife, Deloris Sellers, parents, William Lamar Sellers and Mahalia Wynnell Taylor Sellers, sister, Janice Sellers, and brother, Larry Sellers.

Survivors include his daughters, Delainia (Erik) Ranstead of Hope Hull, AL and Donna (Keith) Ayers of Mobile, AL; sons, Dale (Cathy) Atkins of Baxley and David (Debi) Atkins of Rincon; special sister, Kathy Warren of Baxley; sister-in-law, Mary Sellers of Cleveland; eight grandchildren; and eighteen great grandchildren also survive.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, April 20, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Swain Funeral Home with Pastors Randy & Agnes Sellers officiating. Interment will follow in Calvary Baptist Church Cemetery with military honors.

Active pallbearers will be Alan Atkins, Andy Atkins, Ashley Atkins, Michael Atkins, E.J. Ranstead, and Myles Minton.

Honorary pallbearers will be Micaiah Masterson, Justin Belew, Eddie Smith, Mike Darlington, and the Uchee Creek Invitational Bass Club.

A visitation will be one hour prior to the funeral service.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Tunnels to Towers, or Wounded Warrior Project.

Funeral Arrangements are under the direction of Swain Funeral Home.