Mary E. Sexton

Mary Emma (NEE Maxwell) Sexton passed away peacefully at the Hospice of Miami County at the age of 93 on September 18, 2024.

Mary was born October 9, 1930, in Middletown, Ohio to Ocie B. and Samuel K. Maxwell. She was a graduate of Kiser High School in Dayton, Ohio. Soon after graduation she met and married Edgar Sexton, her husband of 54 years. Together they raised four children: Janice, Ruth (Buechel), Robert and Connie (Galey).

On April 5, 1965, Mary began working at the Dayton Museum of Natural History, where she not only loved her work, but made lifelong friends, and found a second family. She retired from the museum on August 31, 1998, after 33 years; however, this did not end her relationship with the museum as she became a member of the Friends of the Museum.

Mary loved sports and was a fan of the Cincinnati Bengals. In addition, she faithfully followed the University of Dayton Women’s basketball team and the Dayton Dragons Baseball team.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents Ocie B. and Samuel K. Maxwell, her husband Edgar Sexton, sons-in-law Ed Buechel and Ed Mendenhall, sister Virginia Maxwell and brother Charles Willett.

Mary is survived by her four children: Janice, Ruth (Buechel), Robert (Julie) and Connie (Galey) as well as grandchildren Ed, Mary Anne and James (Mary Beth) Buechel, Christina (Patrick Himmelberg) and Robert, II Sexton and Brett (Rose) Galey and great and great great grandchildren Dean and Natalie Himmelberg, Alexander and Theodore Buechel and Yancy Campos, David Castillo and Daniella Morales and special friends Jody and Kris Russo, Bill Mooney, Jay Heilman, Nora Stang and Mildred Shelton.

A Celebration of life will be held on October 13, 2024, from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Brukner Nature Center.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Brukner Nature Center.