Herman L. (Flem) Sexton, Colonel, Retired U.S. Army, age 81, of Frisco, Texas, left this earth to be with the Lord Jesus Christ on Monday, February 16, 2015, at Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas. He passed away on his wedding anniversary, having been married to his loving wife and best friend, Reba, for 58 years.
Col. Sexton was born December 31, 1933, in Magnet Cove, Arkansas, to Burl and Oma Lee Sexton. After living in Stearns, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio as a child, he moved back to Magnet Cove at the age of 10, graduating from Magnet Cove High School in 1952. He graduated from Henderson State Teachers College (Henderson University) in Arkadelphia, Arkansas in May, 1956, receiving a commission in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. He earned a Master’s Degree from George Washington University, and was a graduate of the National War College. He retired after 21 years in the U.S. Army, having served a tour in Vietnam. He was awarded a Bronze Star with valor for heroism in combat while leading the rescue of four helicopter crewmen in the jungle south of Cu Chi, South Vietnam. He served in various command and leadership positions throughout his Army career, including a tour in the Pentagon on the Army Staff. Following his retirement from the Army, he held key positions as a church executive pastor in Pine Bluff, Arkansas and Irving, Texas, a branch manager with Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, Irving, Texas, and Assistant to the President, Parker Chiropractic College, Irving, Texas. He was also an ordained lay minister. He and Reba lived and worked for the past 29 years in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
He was always a Soldier and an avid reader of all things military and international relations. He loved to study his Bible. Among his favorite things to do was listening to gospel music, strumming his banjo, and walking around singing his favorite songs. He was personable and friendly, always looking forward to a good cup of coffee at McDonalds with employees and friends alike. He was an ardent fan of the Arkansas Razorbacks, Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers , and was fond of telling stories of his days playing football, basketball and baseball for the Magnet Cove High School Panthers.
Col. Sexton was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Margaret Burlene Sexton Redd.
Survivors include his wife, Reba Sue Bryant Sexton; daughter Susan Lynne Reagan and husband Rick of Coppell, Texas; son Steven Allen Sexton of Frisco, Texas; son Jeffrey Paul Sexton and wife Tina and grandson Seth of Charlottesville, Virginia; daughter Rebecca Anne Minyard and husband Dwayne of Murphy, Texas; brother Roger Allen Sexton and wife Nancy of Hot Springs, Arkansas; numerous friends and relatives from all over the world.
A Funeral Service will be Saturday, February 21, 2015, at 11:00 am at Button Memorial United Methodist Church, 101 West Eldorado Parkway, Little Elm, Texas, with Reverend John Gowling officiating. A Visitation will be held 1 hour prior to the funeral service. Interment will be held at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery, Dallas, Texas, with full military honors on Tuesday, February 24, 2015, at 1:15 pm.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Wounded Warrior Project, in honor of Colonel Herman L. Sexton, Retired U.S.Army. (http://support.woundedwarriorproject.org)