Dates
Milby Dow Sexton passed away peacefully in a local care center on April 16, 2014. Graveside service will be held on April 19, 2014 at 10:00a.m. in Lawnhaven Memorial Gardens with Mills Caraway officiating. Visitation will be held April 18, 2014 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Johnson's Funeral Home. Milby Dow "Coach" Sexton was born in Houston, Texas on December 28, 1930 to Mack Sexton, Sr. and Josephine Arnold. He graduated from Aldine High School in Houston in 1949 where he excelled in football, basketball, and track. He received numerous athletic awards in high school, including in 1948 being chosen to the first team All State Football team as an end. In 1949 he was chosen be the Texas High School Coaches Association to play in the All Star Game. He accepted a full athletic scholarship from Baylor University and attended from 1949-1950. In December 1950 he enlisted in the United States Air Force and served as munitions specialist with the 8th Fighter Bomber Squadron during the Korean Conflict stationed at Pusan, Korea during which time he was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, U.S. Korean Service Medal, United Nations Korean Service Medal, and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal. While in the service, he met and married a striking 1st Lieutenant and flight nurse, Ruth Helen Simmons. After being honorably discharged from the service in 1953, he attended and graduated from Sam Houston State Teacher's College in 1957. He began his 30-year teaching and coaching career at Sonora High School and thereafter in such cities such as Galveston, Odessa, San Angelo, San Antonio, La Pryor, Ballinger and Ozona. He was head coach at Lee Jr. High during the "Bellard Years" from 1965 to 1972. He retired from full-time coaching in 1987. He was a member of the Texas State Teacher's Association, Texas High School Coaches Association, and Texas Referee's Association, and always enjoyed volunteering with the San Angelo Relays each year until his health hindered him from doing so. He loved hunting and fishing, and his pride and joy were his grandchildren and great grandchildren with whom he was always ready to share chocolates and his homemade dill pickles and venison jerky.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Ruth, in 1985, his parents, siblings – Mack Sexton, Jr., Arnold Sexton, and Mildred McCauley, brother-in-law Robert McCauley, sisters-in-law Ellen Sexton and Jana Moak, and a special friend, Evelyn Richardson.
He is survived by his children, Robert Sexton (Michelle) of Ballinger, Texas; Amy Elliott (Morris) of San Angelo, Texas; Laurie Sexton of San Angelo, Texas; Dan Sexton (Karla) of Miles, Texas; Matt Sexton (Stephanie) of Miles, Texas; grandchildren Brandie Schaeffer (Zach), Melanie Ruth Guest, Mandy Guest Walter (Brian), Haley Allison Sexton, Hallie Ruth Sexton, Chase Carroll, and Alicia Carroll Coe; great grandchildren Cass Sexton Walter (his Namesake), Hughes Walter, Pryce Walter, Morgan Schaeffer, and Cooper Schaeffer; brother and sister, Fred Sexton and Mickey Lowe of Houston, Texas; sister-in-law, Ginny Sexton of Houston, Texas; and numerous nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the West Texas Boys Ranch, American Cancer Society , or a favorite Charity.
"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard" –A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh.
Dad, granddad, papa – we love and miss you. Rest, for you are now in His comforting arms.