Rock Hill, SC – Richard Odell Sexton, 75, with the Holy Spirit holding his right hand saw the lights of Glory and his Savior’s face as he entered into his Heavenly home on Sunday evening, August 6, 2023 at his residence with his devoted wife, daughter, granddaughters and other family by his side.
Richard was born on Sunday, August 24, 1947 to the late David Odell Sexton and the late Beulah Lee Lucas Sexton. He was the fifth of seven children and one of five boys. Richard was born into this temporary earthly life on a Sunday and born into his eternal Heavenly life on a Sunday.
The visitation with the family will take place on Thursday, August 10 from 6 p.m.–7:30 p.m. at Greene Funeral Home Northwest. The funeral service will take place on Friday, August 11 at 2 p.m. at Roddey Baptist Church, 2678 South Anderson Road (Highway 21), Catawba, S.C. 29704 with the Rev. Jerry Devinney and the Rev. Tommy Williams officiating. Burial will be at Grandview Memorial Park—Cherry Road.
Richard was predeceased by his parents, his brothers, Donald Sexton; Douglas Sexton; and Larry Sexton and his sisters, Rebecca Sexton Christie and Sandra Sexton Dickinson. He was also predeceased by his father- and mother-in-law, Floyd and Doris Broom and two brothers-in-law, Clarence Dickinson and John Broom.
Richard was a mischievous and rambunctious little boy. He loved to pick at his two younger brothers. He delighted in getting it over on them, but it was all done in fun. He loved to laugh. Throughout his life, he tried not to take himself too seriously and to bring laughter into the lives of all. He had an outgoing personality and made oh so many friends over the years. He was so loved.
He was not the studious type dropping out of school in the seventh grade. At the age of 14 or 15 to make a little money to help his mother with the family, he started riding the delivery route with A&P truck drivers. In addition to the money, he was able to bring in fresh produce and bakery goods which the family could not afford.
While you could say Richard sowed some wild oats, that all changed when he met his future wife, Melva Broom. They wed on September 12, 1971. He always said that he did not deserve Melva. Of course, she would say the same of him. Our family said she was the best thing that ever happened to him. They truly were soulmates. They were inseparable. Where you saw one, you saw the other. They just loved being together. They were blessed with one precious daughter, Tammy Jean on March 19, 1974. Tammy was their pride and joy. He and Melva worked hard to create a happy home for themselves and Tammy. Their family grew once Tammy got married. Tammy gave Richard and Melva two beautiful granddaughters, Andrea Morgan and Emilee Rachel. Earlier in his life, you might could have used the adjective macho to describe Richard. However, he became a softie whose heart melted and burst with joy in his daughter and granddaughters.
He loved his family so dearly. His family was his heart, and everything he did was for the benefit of family. He was one male in a household of five. To use his words, they were “his girls.” Andrea and Emilee owned their Paw Paw’s heart.
While I said Richard was not studious, he was industrious and educated far beyond his years of formal education. He was a U. S. Army veteran. He took great pride in all he did. He worked at many jobs over the years, but much of his career was spent as a welder at Jacobsen Textron. He learned on the job and was recognized as a very talented and skilled spot welder. He was ingenious. He could come up with all kinds of common sense, improvised solutions to all sorts of problems around the home both inside and out. Being on oxygen did not stop him from doing what needed to be done. He just used his longest oxygen tube and climbed on top of the house or up a tree. He came up with a way to strap his oxygen tank to the riding lawnmower and got the grass cut. He was an old soul. He really believed he could read the signs in nature as they did in the olden days. He did not have a degree but, he was a good weather prognosticator. He really believed he could tell you when it was going to snow. He knew what the different clouds meant.
The real transformation in Richard came when he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. He became very active in his church. He loved Jesus with every fiber of his being. He loved his church and church family. He served as a deacon and the unofficial church janitor. He did outreach. He enthusiastically shared his personal testimony of what his Savior did in his life. He shared the message of Jesus to anyone everywhere he went whether it was in the hospital or Walmart. He sought out the homeless in the woods. He gave them nourishment for their stomachs and for their souls. He got them to go to church providing the transportation. I feel sure he is the conduit through which some of the homeless and many others accepted Jesus as Savior through his witnessing.
Richard lived a productive, blessed life. His truly was a well-lived life. He had his health struggles through the years. God healed him of lung cancer in May of 2011 through surgery. He was in the hospital for three weeks. Melva never left the hospital except to shower. He had stomach issues and advanced COPD which caused him to be in the hospital many times, but Melva always stayed with him. He was blessed to have Melva to care for him, and his family was blessed that he had such a loving, devoted wife to take care of him. He was so bothered that his health kept him from being at his church.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy, 4:7 NIV) He never lost faith. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28 NIV) He now has the rest he so richly deserves. We look forward to the time we will join him and all our family in Heaven, and our family circle will be unbroken once again.
As his only remaining sibling, I hope that I have honored him and his life through this obituary. I love you very much. I will miss you.
Left to cherish and hold in our hearts all our memories of him are his devoted wife of nearly 52 years, Melva Broom Sexton, his daughter, Tammy Cutshaw; his granddaughters, Andrea Cutshaw and Emilee Cutshaw; and his brother, Billy Sexton. He is survived by his sisters-in-law, Merle Sexton and Kathy (Chris) Williams. Surviving him also is his brothers-in-law, Mark Christie and Ronnie Broom. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews all of whom he loved. Also, there are their dog, Daisy; their granddog, Luna; and the bird, Bird.
Flowers are welcome as they add beauty to a sad, difficult time. Memorial donations can be made in Richard’s name to Roddey Baptist Church, , 2678 South Anderson Road (Highway 21), Catawba, S.C. 29704.