Robert Marvin Sell, 88, of Lumberton, NC passed away on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at GlenFlora Assisted Living Center, Lumberton, NC. Robert was born in Lumberton, NC on January 15, 1938, to Marvin Moore Sell and Lucille Jennings Sell. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother; William Moresen Sell, sisters; Rebecca Ann "Becky" Hardison, Sybil Jean Sell, nephew; Mickey Hardison, nieces; Stephanie Hardison, Patricia Hardison.

Robert never married or had children of his own. Twenty-five years ago Robert met Cassie Marie Martin, and she would become the daughter he never had, and her family would become his family. Cassie writes about Robert; I have grown very fond of a man named Robert Marvin Sell known to others by his nickname "Runt" and he also grew very fond of me. So much so that he would tell me and others that I was his daughter he never had. He was very fond of my children. He looked at them like they were his grandkids and they loved him. He really wanted to be able to see Hayzlie graduate one day, but at least he knew the Lord as his savior, and we know he's going to be in heaven so that way he will see us again!

Robert worked at Velcord Mill for years. He also worked as a carpenter at Fort Bragg. He was a very private person. He only let very few know stuff about him. He never got married. There was one woman that I know he was very fond of at one point of his life... but he never had a family or kids. He always told me after his dad died that he made a promise to God that he wouldn't bring children in this world for them to have to go through what he did when his dad died.  His dad was only 45 when he died and Mr. Robert was only a child 6-7years old.

He loved to read "a lot" and loved reading the Bible. He donated to a lot of charities and a lot of animal rescues, especially for cats that are blind. He loved animals.

He loved wood carving, and doing anything with wood, and he was very, very good at it.  He loved to eat…oh if that man didn't love to eat!! He would eat at the diner probably five times a day when Daddy used to own the Express Diner. He was crazy about chickpeas. I still don't understand why he loved him so much, but everybody has their own taste.

He was the last one out of his family to die. He had no family. He only had me. I was family! At my old house where I used to stay, we had a neighbor that died when Mr. Robert found out that that house was available beside me, he did everything he could to buy that house and move in beside me. He was so happy about that. He loved journaling and writing everything down every day and I have read a lot of them and what makes me so happy is he wrote down how happy he was about being able to buy that house beside me. Months before he bought it, he would write down in his journal with his ending sentence would always be "Dear Lord, if it's in your will, please allow me to be able to get that house beside Cassie."

I made sure I was there for him. I made sure he was getting the right care that he needed. And it doesn't matter how much you do for someone in this life, you still feel like you didn't really do enough. But I know if no one else was there for him, I was!!  I've been praying and praying for the Lord to allow me to be there with him when he takes his final breath for that to please be in his will for me to be there, and the Lord answered my prayers!! He allowed me to be there! I got to spend maybe 2 hours with him talking and telling him everything I wanted him to know talking to him about heaven and how he was going to have a perfectly new young body and he was going to be able to walk again and the best thing of all that he was going to be in the presence of Jesus. Of GOD!!! I also thank the Lord for allowing me to spend all week with him, morning and evening. There's so much peace when you know that they have given their heart to the Lord! Wednesday morning, I took Hayzlie and Avery up there to see him because he wanted to see them and right time he saw them he had a big smile on his face and told Hayzlie and Avery and that he loved them and that he hated it was a bad time because he didn't really feel too good and that he wish he felt like talking more but he couldn't. I'm so glad that I went Wednesday night after choir practice, even though it was late, to go sit and spend time with him, because I was able to hear him tell me, "I love you too" one last time!

So yesterday at 2:23pm he took his last breath and woke up in heaven, in the presence of God! 88 years on this earth.

Robert is survived by Cassie Marie Martin, his adopted daughter, and husband Rubin West and their children; Hayzlie Gray and Avery Martin West.

Services are pending at this time.