Mary Louise Sexton

Mary, a lifelong teacher born in Rootstown, Ohio, travelled throughout the midwest and south following her father’s Army Corp of Engineer’s career. After graduating from Kent State University with her bachelor’s degree in teaching, with a minor in music, Mary taught elementary school in Ohio, and then later Florida. Continuing her lifelong pattern of travel she then taught elementary school for the US Military in England, Germany and Italy.

After meeting Charles E Sexton III, who was stationed in Italy for the US Air Force, they returned to the US and got married in Kent, Ohio in 1960 on December 22^nd. They continued traveling together all over the world and were stationed in such picturesque places as, Witchita, Kansas; Fort Walton Beach, Florida; Victorville, California; Incirlik, Turkey; Tucson, Arizona; Wiesbaden, Germany; and Dazell, South Carolina; until Charles retired from the military in Tucson, Arizona in 1980. Adding a daughter to her family in Fort Walton Beach, Florida was Mary’s greatest joy.

During the six years they lived in Tucson, Mary became a substitute teacher until she and Charles divorced, after which she began teaching day care students full time. Eventually, Mary moved to Phoenix, and became the director of a large day care organization. After she retired from directing the day care operations she then continued her travels by moving to Seattle to assist with full time day care of her granddaughter. Together, Mary and her daughter, moved to Missouri with her granddaughter to support extended family with serious medical conditions.

Despite many personal health crises, she survived and thrived to continue shopping. She collected dolls, made and sold teddy bears and door mice and other handicrafts at farmer’s markets, retirement homes, craft fairs and other crafter friendly locales. She loved yard sales and thrift stores and the thrill of discovering the “perfect find”. A lifelong reader, she always continued to learn. Mary loved jigsaw puzzles and word searches and never had enough room for all of her worldly treasures.

For the last thirteen years, she lived in the Independence, Missouri area with occasional cross country trips to feed her travel bug.

Mary was a vibrant, friendly, independent, warm world explorer with varied interests who will be dearly missed.

She is survived by her daughter Mary, her granddaughter Alyssa, her adopted daughter Ilene, and their pets: Molly, Pip and Joe.

Visits: 6