Gertrude Beatrice Sehl, age 95, died Monday August 20, 2018 as she prayed she would: quickly and after an enjoyable morning spent at the farmhouse she loved in the company of two of her many beloved children and one of her favorite caregivers.  Bea was born on September 26, 1922 in Waseca, Minnesota to John and Mary Cecilia Keily, the youngest of their six daughters. Bea was a longtime resident of Rochester, having moved here with her family at the age of twelve. In 1940 she graduated from Rochester High School.  She then earned a two-year degree from Rochester Junior College, and thereafter worked as a Medical Secretary at the Aero-Medical Laboratory at Wright Field in Dayton Ohio, and at the Mayo Clinic.

In 1945, Bea married the boy next door, Francis Gaffney Sehl, at St. John's Catholic Church.  She became a homemaker, and over a span of twenty years, she and Francis welcomed fifteen children into the world.  After Francis' death in 1971, Bea moved her young family to the homestead settled by Francis' maternal grandparents in the 1870's.  Bea continued to reside at the home where she raised so many of her children, joyfully maintaining her independence to the end.  Though her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are far flung, all loved to visit her "on the farm," where there was always much laughter, fun and mischief.

Bea was a Realtor and a Developer, and never considered herself retired.  She and Francis emphasized education to their children, and in 1980 Bea herself fulfilled a lifelong goal, earning her four-year undergraduate degree from Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia.  She shared the stage with her ninth child, daughter Sheila.

Bea is preceded in death by her husband, Francis; son, Anthony; and daughters, Barbara and Deborah.  Survivors include her five sons, Eduard (Jerilyn), John (Donna), Michael (Jenny), Martin (TeeCee), and James (Wendy Krueger); and seven daughters, Mary Susan (Carl Rowold), Cheryl (Larry Estes), Cynthia (James Schmit), Pamela (Barry Zins), Sheila (Richard Hutchison), Maureen Owusu and Shaun.  Bea was blessed to have eighteen grandsons and five granddaughters, as well as nineteen great-grandchildren.

A visitation will be held from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2018 in the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home and one hour prior to the Mass at the Church on Friday.  A funeral Mass will be held at 1:00 pm Friday, August 24 at St. Pius X Church with Fr. Russell Scepaniak officiating. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery.