Donald D. Sexton, 85 of Spearfish, died Sunday, April 17, 2011 at Ft. Meade VA Medical Center.

Visitation will be from 4:00-8:00,P.M. Tuesday, April 19, 2011 at the Lead-Deadwood Memorial Chapel in Lead.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 A.M., Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at Trinity United Methodist Church in Lead. Burial with full military honors will follow at Black Hills National Cemetery, near Sturgis.

A memorial has been established to benefit the V.F.W. Post# 5969 in Deadwood.

Don was born at home on the family farm seven miles west of Hay Springs, NE on December 11, 1925 to George Washington Sexton and his wife Bessie Agusta Buskie.
He attended the rural school two miles from the farm through the eighth grade, and graduated from high school in Hay Springs in 1941. He was drafted into the United States Army on the 10th of September, 1942. He served as an infantryman in Iran, France and Germany till the end of the war, and was attached to the 353rd Truck Company in Bramenhaven, Germany after the war ended. He shipped out of there on August 15, 1946 and landed in New York about the 30th of that month. He was honorably discharged from the Army at Ft. Sheridan, IL on November 1, 1946. He returned to Hay Springs, where he was employed for about a year and a half at the Hay Springs Creamery. He married Betty Mae Prokop on February 29, 1948 at Hay Springs, they had five children. He worked on various farms in the Hay Springs area unitl 1956. The family moved to Lead, SD, where he was employed by Homestake Mining Company as a miner. He retired from the mine on January 1, 1991, with the title of shift boss. He married Mavis B. Graw-Hansen on August 31, 1974 in Deadwood, SD. Following retirement Don volunteered at Ft. Meade VA Medical Center driving veterans to and from the airport to Ft. Meade and Hot Springs, and delivered Meals on Wheels for several years.

Don was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church, American Legion, Moose Lodge, Lions Club, Eagles Club, the Homestake 25 year Club, past president of the Hay Springs Odd Fellows and a life member of the VFW.

Survivors include one daughter, Teresa Finger, Chanhassen, MN, step-son, Gary Hansen of Whitewood, step-daughter, Gaylene Allan of Aurora, CO, two brothers, George W. Sexton, Jr., of Covington, OK and Rolley O. Sexton of Spearfish, five sisters; Letha Kinser of Klamath Falls. OR, Myrtie Thoms of Bakersfield, CA, Edna Frankhauser of Columbus, OH, Marion Sheedeed of Gordon, NE and Nina Ratzloff of Clinton, NE, numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two sons, Myron Lee Sexton and Randy Lee Sexton, two daughters, Connie Lee Sexton and Renee Kay Enninga, his wife, Mavis in 1994, two infant brothers, brother, Byron Sexton and three sisters; Marvel Bogard, Ruth Hansen and Altha Canady.