Robert Sexton

Robert Ross Sexton, 90, A Silver City resident passed away Friday, Oct. 26, 2012 at his residence surrounded by his loving family. Services to celebrate Robert R. Sexton's life will be held Friday, Nov. 2, 2012 at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church on Swan Street. Robert R. Sexton was born in Canton, Ill. on May 13, 1922. He attended Bradley University in Peoria, Ill. (1940-43). His M.D. degree was earned at the University of Illinois in 1946. He served his general rotating internship at St. Francis Hospital (1946-47) in Peoria, following which he served as Lt. (j.g.) in the Medical Corps of the U.S. Navy until October 1949. He was in general practice of medicine in Carthage, Ill., from December 1949 until July 1958. He spent the next three and a half years at the University Hospitals in Iowa City, where he completed an ophthalmology residency in 1961 and then spent six months with Dr. Albert McKee in the latter's virology laboratory. He was awarded the master of science degree - the title of his thesis was "Herpes Simplex Virus in Ocular Disease." He spent the year of 1962 (January-December) as a fellow at the Francis I. Proctor Foundation with Dr. Phillips Thygeson. He then joined the faculty at the University of Miami Medical School as an assistant professor, Department of Ophthalmology, where he was in charge of the External Disease Service and supervised the resident rotation through the Veterans' Administration Hospital from January 1963, until August 1966. At that time, he became director of the Ophthalmology residency training program at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and was appointed associate professor. He became professor of Ophthalmology in September 1970. He resigned from this position in July 1971. He opened and operated his own office of ophthalmology in Silver City, where he practiced for 30 years until he retired. He was certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology on May 24, 1963. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and in 1969 he was presented the Academy's Certificate of Award for service in their educational program. He is a member of the American Association of Ophthalmology, The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, The Texas Ophthalmological Association, The New Mexico Ophthalmology Society and the American Medical Association. His publications have been concerned with various aspects of diseases of the external eye. He is survived by his wife Margaret Sexton; brother: Phil Sexton and wife Rosie from Monmouth, Ill.; sons: Robert R. Sexton, Jr. and wife Mary of Santa Fe and Edward A. Sexton and wife Vicki of Silver City; daughters: Nancy A. Trinkle and husband Jeff of Silver City and Karen Walker and partner Margaret Pettengill of Santa Fe; grandchildren Christy Sturman and husband Dan, Shane Trinkle and wife Angela, Kelly Thai and husband Chris and Alicia Gruber; three great grandchildren Baron, Layla and Nik. He is preceded in death by his first wife Lois Jean, sons Steve and Joe Sexton and his brother Bill Sexton. In lieu of flowers please make donations to the High Desert Humane Society or charity of your choice. To send condolences, please log in to: www.bacasfuneralchapels.com. Entrusted to the care of Baca's Funeral Chapels of Silver City, Baca's Silver City Crematory, 3805 Delk Drive.