Johnnie LaVon Sexton
Johnnie LaVon Sexton
Johnnie LaVon Sexton was born September 29, 1925 in Struggleville, Oklahoma to Hugo Richard Finke and Winnie Faye (Martin) Finke. She passed away Wednesday, December 18, 2019 in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the age of 94.
Mrs. Sexton was a longtime resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma and past resident of Okemah. She and William Carl Sexton were married December 30, 1946 in Independence, Kansas; he later preceded her in death May 9, 1999. Mrs. Sexton was a loving homemaker who enjoyed her pets. She also worked as a Rosie the Riveter with Spartan of Tulsa and as a thrift store manager. She was a devoted volunteer with Meals on Wheels and with her church, the Redfork Church of God in Tulsa. Mrs. Sexton also loved spending time with her children and grandchildren.
Also preceding her in death were her parents; one brother, Herbert Finke and one sister, Lois Faye Finke.
Survivors include her two sons, Jonathan Sexton of Claremore, Oklahoma and Micah Sexton and wife Suzie of Stillwater, Oklahoma; one daughter, Carla Ehlers of Indian Hills, Colorado; one brother, Hugo Richard Finke and wife Margaret of Seminole; four grandchildren, Abby, Audrey, Jonathan and Joshua Sexton and four great-grandchildren, Ryan, Shady, Chasidy and Logan.
Services will be under the direction of Parks Brothers Funeral Home, Okemah, Oklahoma and officiated Rev. Ken Farnham.
I was born in Vivian, Oklahoma, but my family ended up in Struggleville where my older siblings attended Excelsior High School. I went to Union Graded Forty-nine or just plain “Forty-nine.” When I was eleven, I attended Excelsior for about six weeks before we moved to San Francisco, California. It was a good move for us as we had a hard time making ends meet by farming. Dad and my uncle became interior house painters and things really got better for us. I was graduated from Lowell High School, went to college in San Fernando Valley, and became a high school English teacher.
Although I have fond memories of Struggleville, I am happy for the opportunities afforded me in California. My husband and I retired to Orem, Utah where he subsequently died in 2009. I lived alone in our home until 2019 when I moved into an assisted living home. After all, I was 94 and did not trust my driving any more. I am now 96 and still in fairly good health but looking forward to being reunited with my husband and five of my seven children who have all passed on.