Kathleen Cassen Sexton

Kathleen (Katy) Cassen Sexton, age 76, of Irondale, Alabama passed away on Friday, September 24, 2021. Katy was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on September 27, 1944, to the late Franklin Cassen and Margaret Cumming Cassen.

She graduated from Birmingham-Southern College in 1966 where she was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority. She taught elementary school in the Birmingham city school system for five years, and then started a business of creative children's accessories that she enjoyed for over 40 years, known as katy-dids, where she sold and shipped hand crafted baby and children's gifts all over the country. A large portion of Mountain Brook children grew up with her hand painted pillowcases over the last 40 years.

Katy was a happy and devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She was a member of Mountain Brook Baptist Church for over 50 years, on several committees, and active in her Sunday School classes there. She was a past president and long-term member of Charades Dance Club and the Yellowhammer Garden Club of Irondale.

Although not from Birmingham initially, Katy had many friends all over greater Birmingham. One of her great loves on a continuing basis was dogs, and especially Golden Retrievers, and she and Rick enjoyed sharing their home and lives with eight of them over their married life. She and Rick and their sons enjoyed many years of three gulf coast beach houses, and later homes on Smith Lake and Lay Lake.

She used to enjoy playing tennis with her girlfriends at The Country Club of Birmingham, but she was so busy with katy-dids that she finally quit playing. Katy was considered a very special person by many friends, especially at Mountain Brook Baptist Church. She had a full and rewarding life and had a wonderful, loving continuing relationship with her two daughters in law. She was so proud of her two sons, the way in which they raised theirs sons, and their accomplishments in their fields of work.

Katy is survived by her husband of 52 years, Richard Palmer Sexton, Jr.; her sons, Richard Palmer Sexton, III and his wife Christine, and David Ratliff Sexton and his wife Katy, all of Birmingham; grandchildren, Palmer Camp Sexton, James Ryder Sexton, Charles David Sexton, and Benjamin Keith Sexton; her brother Quentin Cassen and his wife Jan of Orange, California; and many nieces and nephews.

A short celebration of life memorial service will be held at Mountain Brook Baptist Church

on Monday, October 4, 2021 at 11:00 AM. Mask are required.

The family request that memorials be made to Mountain Brook Baptist Church, 3631 Montevallo Road, Birmingham, AL 35213.