Doris "Dottie" Evelyn Howell Sexton

Doris “Dottie” Evelyn Howell Sexton, 93, of Ocean Springs, MS passed away February 7, 2024.  She was born in West Virginia to William “Bill” and Covie Goins Howell.

Dottie and her sisters would walk to school across the Bluefield National Scenic River bridge and down Rock Rd. to their father and mothers’ respective houses. The girls grew up in a 2-bedroom house, with their father, Bill Howell. They had a well for water and an outhouse, up a mountain in front of a sheer cliff. You could sit on the front porch, see the trains in the 

distance, but could not hear the whistle until the train was gone. Beautiful country, hard life. The Howells were coal miners and the Goins were in railroad. When Doris was 18, she married a local Sexton boy named Sam. He was 22. First child, Zandra, was born in 1949. Three years later, in 1953, they had a son, Samuel. Then in 1965 another baby boy, Richard. 

Doris loved her family, she loved remodeling and when she was younger, she gardened and canned food. She also loved to read. She was always filled with love, compassion and kindness to family. She and Sam worked hard and lived in several different places, from Chicago to Biloxi. Sam was stationed in Germany towards the end of WWII. Doris followed Sam to different jobs and towns. They made a great life together, but their hearts must have been in West Virginia. They bought a very old farm house on top off Wright Mountain Rd, right near Rock and neighbors were family. Sadly, Sam passed in 1988. Doris found support from family and friends but she never married again. She continued to remodel houses and sell them. She had wonderful adventures traveling with her sister, Wanda, and daughter, Zandra.  No matter where she lived, she had family around. She helped provide love, guidance, and acceptance to of each of us. 

In her later years, her son, Sam lived with her in McHenry, MS. The last months of her life were spent in a home in Ocean Springs, MS. Her family was able to visit and spend quality time together. She had a wonderful, long life full of love, support, family and friends. If we all had 93 years, what would you do with it?

She is preceded in death by the love of her life, Samuel Andrew Sexton; her parents, William and Covie Howell; sisters: Venice Genevieve Howell Urban of Roanoke, VA, Ruth Catherine Howell Sexton of Chicago, IL, and Dan Weslie Hall of Princeton, WV; and a great grandson, Jeremy D. Moore of Vancleave, MS.

Still blessed to have here on this plain with their families is her children, Zandra (Mike McMurray) Sexton Walker of Ocean Springs, MS, Samuel D. Sexton of McHenry, MS, and Richard (Tammy Punturi) R. Sexton of Belews Creek, NC; grandchildren, Malissia Alyce Good Hearndon of Wade, MS, Gerald Alexander Good of Ocean Springs, MS, Charlie Jean Strawn Broome of Gulfport, MS, Joshua Sexton McNeill of Pass Christian, MS, William Andrew Sexton of McHenry, MS, Sarah Sexton Michalak of Winston Salem, NC, and Bradley Sexton of Winston Salem, NC;  great grandchildren, Jeremy D. Moore, Carla M. Hearndon, Courtney Heardson Rohole, Chloe Good Thomas, Nicholas A. Good, Mackenzie  R. Good, Emily Good, Bre Broome, Kaylee Michalak, and Brandon Michalak; great great grandchildren, Sophia, Hazel, Frankie, Ava, Jeremy, Hadley, Sammy and Brad and three on the way; sister, Wanda Lee Howell Rierson Wright of Houston, TX; and brother, Charles Cleveland Hall of Rock, WV.

Doris will be cremated and later this year will be placed beside Sam in Roselawn Memorial Gardens in Princeton, WV. 

Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Doris “Dottie” Evelyn Howell Sexton.