West Lafayette – Lynn Sells DeSutter, 83, passed away at Westminster Village in West Lafayette, with her family at her side, on Friday, August 21, 2026, at 8:54 p.m. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and brother Lance.
Lynn was born in Detroit, Michigan, on December 21, 1942. She was the daughter of the late Ingelow O. and Mary R. (Derickson) Sells. She grew up in Williamsport and graduated from Williamsport High School in the Class of 1960.She attended the Williamsport Christian Church and loved spending time with her family. A favorite tradition was Sunday pitch-ins with extended family, with generous helpings of homemade delights. She was very close with her many cousins, aunts, and uncles. They not only sang in choirs together but also made life more harmonious through friendships that lasted throughout their lives.Lynn was state president of the Future Homemakers of America, demonstrating her leadership abilities early in life. After spending a brief time working at UCLA, she became the personal assistant and secretary to Warren Eggleston of the Ball Eggleston Law Firm. She grew close to his family, spending many weekends babysitting his children, and eventually served as his office manager, overseeing both personal affairs and staff.One evening, as she was preparing to go to a gathering with friends, she answered the door to find a young red-haired gentleman, fairly fresh from the monastery, standing there asking for directions. As Lynn told the story, there was immediate chemistry. After a period of courtship, on a rainy Monday morning, Lynn asked R.A. to drive her to work. He replied, “If I drive you to work, we are getting married.” She imagined he was joking, but when he made his entrance in his best suit, Lynn asked for the week off work. R.A. and Lynn were married that Monday, June 6, 1966.Lynn and R.A.’s marriage spanned 56 years. They loved one another in a way unbeknownst to most, sharing everything from the treatment of chigger bites to all of life’s passages. Lynn would even refer to R.A. during Uno games on Port Huron vacations with the Deegan family. When choosing the color, she would proclaim, “Red for the color of my true love’s hair.”They had two children, Dan DeSutter (Barbie) of Attica and Ann DeSutter of Longmont, Colorado.Lynn loved to plan and organize travel so much that she trained and became a travel agent and briefly worked at Adventure Travel in Williamsport. In their later years, she and R.A. enjoyed winter months in Mexico, sometimes joined by her brothers, Larry (Melanie) and Lane (Tami), or by Ann or other relatives. Lynn and R.A. took epic journeys together to Ireland, Africa, Alaska, and Greece. They also traveled to Haiti to do mission work with their dear friends and others from the St. Thomas Aquinas Center community in West Lafayette.Lynn and R.A. attended the 9:30 Mass weekly for many decades. They always looked forward to coffee and donuts afterward, a trip to Panera, or an afternoon at the Rund Farm. She also organized Sells family reunions in Colorado and Indiana, attended by more than 100 cousins, aunts, and uncles.Some of Lynn’s favorite travels were the week-long trips she and R.A. took to celebrate each grandson’s 13th birthday. Dylan (Tayler), Damon (Karley), and Dalton (Madison) each selected a special destination. These trips allowed Lynn and R.A. to see the world anew through young eyes and to deepen their relationships with each of their grandsons.Lynn served her community in several capacities: as secretary and president of Tri Kappa, as a volunteer at the thrift store in Attica, and through her work with the Fountain County Queen Contest. She was also a member of the Angel Corps at St. Tom’s, cooking and offering assistance to those who were ill or in need.Some of Lynn’s greatest contributions, however, were quite personal. She elevated the position of farm wife to new heights, creating a home known for her exquisite baking, cooking, hospitality, and creativity. She was also a gifted seamstress, sewing many of her own and Ann’s clothes, making costumes for her grandsons, and often helping friends with sewing projects. She had an unbelievable ability to remember what people could and couldn’t eat and what they liked and didn’t like, even years or decades later. Birthday celebrants were honored with homemade desserts in the flavor of their choosing, and Lynn never forgot a favorite. At Christmas she baked and decorated dozens of cookies, often with help from her children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, much to their delight. She was always at the ready with soup or a meal for someone who needed care. Most especially, she devotedly prepared a from-scratch dessert each night at dinner, always bringing smiles to the faces of R.A., Dan, and Ann.She hosted duplicate bridge and countless dinners for friends and family, both local and from afar. Annual visits from California aunts, uncles, and cousins were a highlight, and the tradition of Sunday potlucks grew into nightly gatherings while family was together. Fiercely competitive croquet matches and card and board games brought a blend of laughter and good-natured ribbing, with each new generation taught how to dish it out and take it equally well.Lynn was a beloved aunt who treasured time with her nieces and nephews. She often babysat Mike, Pat, Todd, and Melissa McGraw. Her nephew Rod was like a son to her and lived with Lynn and R.A. for a couple of years. Amber, Skyler, Stephen, Molly, and Maddy Sells could never clock enough Aunt Lynn time. Lynn rarely forgot a birthday or anniversary and took great care in choosing gifts and cards that were meaningful and personal to the recipient.Throughout her life, Lynn maintained strong bonds with her cousins, classmates, and friends from St. Tom’s. In the last couple of years, she developed a particularly close friendship with Sandy Myers as they played bridge and shared many outings together. She also participated in weekly meetings and annual retreats with Indiana Voices for Women and was always ready to offer support, a listening ear, and sage advice to anyone who needed it. She never missed an opportunity to shop or find a bargain and took pleasure in dressing in style when she was in public.In her final years, one of Lynn’s greatest joys was spending time with her great-grandchildren Sage, Miles, Roman, Elsie, and Georgia DeSutter.The amazing staff members at Westminster Village consistently shared that “Lynn was one of my favorites” and that she was “a very special lady,” kind and unsurprising words to anyone who had known her over the years.Above all, Lynn created connection wherever she went, through family, friendship, food, travel, service, laughter, traditions, and the remarkable care she gave to the people she loved.A celebration of life and meal in Lynn’s honor will be held at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on September 13 at the Beef House in Covington, Indiana. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Thomas Aquinas Haiti Mission, 535 Mitch Daniels Boulevard, West Lafayette, IN 47907.