Mary Lou Williams Sexton, 95, a native of Centerville, Appanoose County, Iowa, passed away on June 21, 2022, in Rexburg, Madison County, Idaho.

Born March 12, 1927, she was the fourth of twelve children born to Lee Loraine Williams and Iva Pearl Hayes.  Despite growing up during the depression Mary Lou had a happy childhood owing to her loving parents and close relationship with her sisters and brothers. At age six, she acquired her first library card to the public library which quickly led to a life-long enjoyment of reading as her favorite past-time. She read over 25,000 books in her lifetime.

During high school, at the height of World War II, Mary Lou spent one year living with an aunt and uncle in California and had a work-release job in an airplane manufacturing plant.  Upon graduation from Centerville High School in 1945, she was recruited and accepted a position to work for the FBI in Washington, D.C.  She valued working for her country during the World War II years.  Following her time with the FBI, Mary Lou and her next youngest sister Darlene went to California for employment.

It was in California that she met and married her husband, Michael F. Sexton, in April 1950.  To their marriage was born two daughters and three sons, all born in California. Their parenthood left a legacy of love, laughter, hard work, education, and a close bond among all the children.  Mary Lou taught her children to be responsible, to be reliable, to never gossip, and to be honest.

She was widowed in 1975 when her husband died in a car accident. Mary Lou set an example of being a hard worker with great integrity. She had a career in banking, starting as a bookkeeper and advancing through the years to become a Branch Manager and one of the first female Assistant Vice Presidents of the Security Pacific National Bank.  After she retired, she returned to Centerville, Iowa, to care for her mother.  This was just one example of many that illustrates that Mary Lou spent much of her life putting the needs of others above her own.  She was always willing to sacrifice for family.  Also in retirement, she served a full-time mission at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was one of the first missionaries of the Church trained in the use of computers to assist in genealogical research.  She went on to teach these computer concepts to many others even after her mission and she engaged in family history research and records extraction and indexing for the Church for many years.  She also enjoyed serving in the Primary Organization and prepared many children for baptism and an enduring commitment to the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ she loved so much.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Michael F. Sexton; sisters: Margie (Robert) Cadam, Dorothy (Walter) Schwager, and Darlene (Herb) Votaw, and brothers: Charles (Pauline), Donald (Twilia), and Ronald, and Brothers-in-Law Jerry Walters, Mark Sexton, and Orville Sexton.

She is survived by her sisters; Karen (Michael) Kauzlarich and Cheryl Walters, brothers; Jimmie (Mary), Gary (Judy), and Richard (Judy), Sisters-in-Law, Sandra Andrews and Loretta Williams, her children; Mike of Durango, CO; Bonnie (Bill) Fisher of Durango, CO; Barry (Tauny) of Paso Robles, CA; Theresa (Andy) Montoya of Austin, TX; and Ed (Dawna) of Rexburg, ID.

Mary Lou has 13 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren , and dozens of loving nieces and nephews.

The family expresses appreciation to the administration and staff of The Homestead who provided such excellent care during Mary Lou's last few years.

Her funeral service is being held in Rexburg Idaho on 1 July 2022 at the Crest Haven Ward Chapel at 10:00 a.m. and interment will follow at the Rexburg Cemetery.

Services may be viewed at: https://my.gather.app/remember/mary-lou-sexton