October 17, 2023 was a day of rejoicing for Billy Joe Sexton as he was wrapped in the arms of his Lord and Savior and reunited with his loving wife, Retha.

Bill was born in Springton, WV on June 11, 1931 to Leroy McKee and Mary Helen Grace Haynes Sexton.  He attended WV grade and high schools, graduated the 10th grade at Montcalm High in 1947 and Bramwell High School in 1949, and received his BS Degree in Chemistry from Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VA Tech) in 1959.

After graduation in 1949, Bill was employed by Kroger Grocery Co. in Bluefield, WV.  In 1952, President Truman requested Bill's presence in the Armed Service with employment in the U.S. Army.  After basic and specialty training at Ft. Knox, Bill was assigned to Korea with the Company A, 140th Tank Battalion, 40th Infantry Division and served his later months as Tank Commander under Capt. George S. Patton IV.  After his military duty, Bill returned to the Kroger Co. in Bluefield, WV then was transferred to Winston-Salem, NC in 1954.  This is where Bill met and married his unique and wonderful wife of 55 ½ years, Retha Ilene Spencer, daughter of William A. Spencer and Mary Catherine Arnold Spencer of Wythe County, VA.

In 1959, Bill joined Marbon Chemical Division of Borg Warner Corp. where he worked for 32 years including two years after the purchase by G.E. Plastics.  He initiated and pursued the technology and marketing of plated ABS plastics and served as Technology Manager for development and servicing the new plating chemicals business.  He was a member of the American Society for Electroplated Plastics, Metal Plating Society, American Society for Testing Materials, Vacuum Coaters Society, among others.  Bill participated in numerous technical panel discussions and directed plating seminars as well as having publications appear in The Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology, Modern Plastics Encyclopedia, Plating Magazine, and Metal Finishing Magazine.  Bill represented Marbon Chemical Division, Borg Warner Corporation as one of three participating U.S. companies, by demonstrating the Metal Plating of Plastics at the 1963 Technology Exhibition in Berlin, Germany.

Bill accepted the LORD in the mid 1980's at PTL near Charlotte, NC, was an active member of the local Assembly of God churches, and assisted in the planning, building, and establishing of the Victory Assembly of God.  He had also served as a Lay Member on the Board of Southeastern University and continued to support the university.

In addition to his wife, Retha S. Sexton, Bill was preceded in death by his sisters, Betty L. Moore and Mary Frances Lowe; sisters-in-law Madeline Fields, Elizabeth Raines, Shirley Sayer, and Virginia Wall; brothers-in-law Ford Lowe, Joe Pickett, Walter Moore, Robert Smith, Edward Caviness, Fred Sayer Sr., Bynum Spencer, and Clark Spencer;

Bill is survived by his sons, Steve Sexton and wife Vickie of Parkersburg, WV, and Craig Sexton and wife Sandy of Williamstown, WV; a sister, Sandra (Jerry) Brown of Parkersburg, WV; sisters-in-law Anna Caviness and Yvonne Smith of VA; grandchildren Jessica, Stephen, Jonathan (Angie), Matthew (Alison), Marlee (Ryan), Amanda (Jennifer), Kristen (Tony), Paige, and Sarah; great-grandchildren Kailee, Logan, Isaiah (Gabby), Wyatt, Adaline, Brooklyn, Zach, Julianna, Natalia, and Giovanni; great-great-grandchild Oaklynn, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be from 4:00-8:00 pm Saturday, October 21, 2023 at Leavitt's Funeral Home of Parkersburg, WV.  Visitation will also be held at Barnett Funeral Home in Wytheville, VA on October 23, 2023 from 12:00-2:00 pm with service to follow.  Interment will be at West End Cemetery in Wytheville, VA. Leavitt's Funeral Home and Barnett Funeral Home are serving the Sexton family.