1984 - 2021
Barrett MacLeod “Bear” Seller died unexpectedly at his home in Denver Feb. 13, 2021. He was 36.
He was a big bear of a man, in heart, soul and body. Warm, kind and always welcoming, he was always prepared to give a true “Bear hug” to everyone he met and was a compassionate and sensitive presence to countless friends at critical times in their lives. He had a habit of taking newcomers under his wing, showing them the ropes and making introductions so they felt comfortable. Barrett was born May 6, 1984 to William Harold Seller and Sharon Iola Hartmann in St. Louis, Mo. The family moved to Evergreen, Colo. when he was six months old.
Sadly, he lost his father in 1992. Bear graduated from Monarch High School in 2002. Always outgoing and open to new experiences, his time as an exchange student in Germany fueled his love of international travel. His junior year, he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, having designed and built a coffee bar for the youth room at Boulder Valley Christian School for his Eagle project. Bear attended the University of North Dakota, where he was a proud member of Sigma Chi fraternity. He earned a double degree in Psychology and Political Science from the University of Colorado Denver in 2010, and in 2019, a certificate in data science while studying in Sydney, Australia. Naturally creative and inventive, his drawings of Simpsons characters were prized gifts to friends, and he was an inveterate entrepreneur, using his skills in data science to start several small tech companies, including SellWellDesigns.
He later worked for Boulder-based Keef Brands, maker of beverages, oils and other products, working in sales, lobbying, distribution and more, in several stints over the years. Bear dearly loved his family and had fond memories of family trips with his parents, extended family and friends; Europe was his favorite destination. He relished becoming part of his extended Trumble family after his mother remarried. And he adored his Australian Labradoodle, Von, named after eight-time All-Pro Broncos linebacker Von Miller. He was an avid sports fan, especially for his beloved Denver Broncos, Nuggets and Avalanche, and he loved living in downtown Denver, where he could walk to Coors Field to see a Rockies game. He even used his statistical skills to develop an algorithm to predict the outcome of games; one recent night, he correctly called 11 out of 13 NBA games.
He was also an ever-curious and wide-ranging student of history and humanity, and loved talking politics with friends and family. Bear is survived by his mother Sharon Trumble and stepfather Tom Trumble, of Longmont; his beloved dog, Von; and many devoted friends and Sigma Chi brothers. A private funeral service was held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27 at Boulder Valley Christian Church and Mountain View Memorial Park in Boulder. The family is planning a second graveside service Aug. 15 in Evergreen, so Bear can be next to his father, followed by a large Celebration of Life memorial. With eternal love Sharon prays, “May my Eagle Scout forever fly high.”. Memorial contributions may be made to Boulder Voices for Children at bouldervfc.org or 5408 Idylwild Trail, Boulder, 80301, or to the charity of the donor’s choice.
