James "Jim" Harry Sell

Jim attended Whitehall High School in Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania. He worked several jobs in the Lehigh Valley area in his youth, including in a family-owned air conditioning business. In November of 1978, while hitchhiking, he met Marion Thompson who would become his wife and at his side for the next forty-five years. In February of 1981, the couple loaded their belongings into their '78 Camaro and started a new life together in Tampa, Florida. Jim took pride in being a hard worker, ultimately settling into employment with the City of Tampa as a utilities technician for more than twenty years. In 1986, Jim welcomed his firstborn son Justin into the world, and in 1990, Steven, his youngest. The family remained in Tampa until Jim and Marion built a home together in Wesley Chapel in 2003.

Jim was gifted in a mechanical sense -- he spent many afternoons under cars and could repair anything around the house. Jim was a fan of Tampa Bay sports; he enjoyed time with his wife watching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tampa Bay Lightning. He was also a longtime enthusiast of NASCAR and Ultimate Fighting Championship. Jim was a collector in an eccentric sense -- once turning his attention to cobalt glass or vintage advertisements before moving onto antique fishing reels and other curios, eventually amassing a collection as unique as he was. He enjoyed rock music, action movies, and going to concerts. Jim also had a love of animals, over the years welcoming dogs, turtles, lizards, and fish into the family home.

However, he took the most pleasure in spending time with his family. In their years together, he and Marion were inseparable. Jim delighted in his grandchildren, who knew him as "gampy." He looked forward to song and dance shows from his granddaughters Isabella and Evelyn and sharing funny faces with his grandson Jack.

Jim is survived by his parents Harry and Barbara Sell; wife Marion; siblings Julie and Jon; sons and their spouses, Justin and Felicia, and Steven and Hayley; grandchildren Isabella, Evelyn, and Jack.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests for donations in Jim's name to be made to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.

A funeral service to honor Jim will take place at 4pm on Tuesday, May 16th at Blount and Curry Carrollwood located at 3207 W. Bearss Ave. Tampa, FL. 33618. The family will receive friends for a visitation one hour prior.