Patricia (Barrett) Halstead Sexton

Pat was born July 11, 1932 in Newark, N.J. to Charles and Ellen Halstead. She was the youngest of three amazing sisters. In 1950, she graduated from Barringer H.S. in Newark and then traveled 700 miles south on a Greyhound bus to attend Maryville College in East Tennessee. She graduated from Maryville in 1954 with a degree in education and also met her future husband there, Lynn Sexton. After college, she taught in Atlanta and then in Augusta, Ga. before moving to West Knoxville where she lived for the next 65 years.

Pat and Lynn got married in 1957 and were married for 67 years. They had four children; Jim, Beth, Judy, and Jill. Pat was a dedicated teacher at Karns Intermediate School where she taught third grade for 20 years. But even more, she loved her four children and supported them at every turn– through Scouting (Boys and Girls), sports (attending track meets and other events), in music, and sewing all kinds of projects. This continued to her grandchildren. She provided many a ‘mother’s day’ out reprieve for moms and the most fun ‘girls’ night’ sleepovers.

She loved the beach, birds, flowers, reading and was a dedicated supporter of her husband’s coaching career at Farragut H.S. She attended nearly every game with kids in tow, and remarkably, she washed the basketball team’s uniforms for 25 years. She was an active member of Erin Presbyterian Church for 57 years. She enjoyed singing in the choir, was a member of the women’s Bible study circle, and was part of a mission team that served a church in Sunset Gap, Tenn.

Pat was preceded in death by her sisters, Dea Mulreany (N.J.) and Maryellen Leppink (Minn.). She is survived by her husband Lynn, son Jim (Gretchen) Sexton of Birmingham, Ala.; daughters Beth (Mark) Williamson of Knoxville; Judy (Kevin) Lett of Powell, Tenn.; and Jill (Bob) Racine of upstate New York. She was the proud grandmother of Mackenzie and Maggie Sexton; Ben, Tyler, and Carolyn Williamson; Will and Jenna Lett; and Shua, Netzer, Zahar, Seveyah, and Daraq Racine. She was a great-grandmother to fifteen youngsters.

A memorial service to celebrate Pat’s life will be held on January 4, noon ET, at Erin Presbyterian Church, 200 Lockett Rd., Knoxville, Tenn. 37919, with the Rev. Anne McKee officiating. A reception and receiving of friends will follow at the church. The committal will take place at Berry Highland Memorial Cemetery at 3:00pm.

The memorial service will be live streamed at ErinPresbyterian.org.

Flowers can be sent to Erin Presbyterian Church. Donations in her name may be made to Erin Presbyterian Church or the Alzheimer’s Association.