J. FRANKLIN SEXTON
Oct. 2, 1928-Feb. 5, 2006
J. Franklin Sexton, 77, died Sunday, Feb 5, in Tulsa, Okla.
A native of Enfield, Mr. Sexton was a watchmakers apprentice and had set up his own shop when he attended an Oral Roberts' campaign at the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. The next fall he entered Holmes Theological Seminary where he re-ceived a bachelor''s degree in theology, graduated valedictorian of his class and met future wife -- Ruth Sutton of LaGrange. They were married in 1954 and both enrolled at Oklahoma City University where he received a bachelors degree in history in 1957. While teaching at Southwestern Bible College, Mr. Sexton earned a masters degree in history from the University of Oklahoma. He began his doctoral studies in cultural and intellectual history at OU and completed them after moving to Tulsa where he and Ruth taught at Oral Roberts University.
Mr. and Mrs. Sexton founded Humanities International, sponsoring more than 15 European humanities study tours for ORU students.
Mr. Sexton served as Department Chairman of History, Government and Humanities for the last 11 years. He retired as Professor Emeritus in 1999. He was an OU Scholar Leadership Enrichment Program sponsor for 25 years and was a member of the Oklahoma Historical Society.
In addition to his wife he is survived by one son, Stephen Franklin Sexton of Tulsa; five sisters, Lucille Hayes of Sanford, Beulah Armstrong of Tarboro, Ruth Sampier of Denver, Colo., Nelda Lange of California, and Rebecca House of Goldsboro; two brothers, George Sexton of Atlanta, Ga., and William Sexton of Rocky Mount.
The funeral was held at Thursday, Feb. 9, at 1 p.m. at the Freeman Harris Funeral Home Chapel with interment following at Calvary Cemetery in Tulsa.
Donations may be made to the Dr. Joseph Franklin Sexton Scholarship Fund at Oral Roberts University.
Published in Obituaries on February 28, 2006 2:14 PM