Martha Sexton

Martha Sexton, 81, died July 22, 2025 at home in Irvine, California. She was born in Annapolis, Maryland. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Smith College in 1965 and a Masters in Education from the University of South Carolina in 1974. She also obtained a Masters of Divinity with distinction from Columbia Theological Seminary and was ordained as a Presbyterian minister in 1990.

Martha served as associate pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Morgantown, North Carolina. She spent four years serving as the first pastor of the newly formed Ridgeview Presbyterian Church in Columbia, South Carolina, and five years serving as Pastor at Kennedy Heights Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. Throughout her retirement in Southern California, she served on the "Green Committee" at White Sands in La Jolla and served as substitute pastor at Grace Presbyterian Church in La Mesa. Upon moving to Orange County, she was an active member at St. Mark Presbyterian Church and helped occasionally in leading worship. She continued to be very politically engaged, volunteering with Regents Point's Seniors for Social Justice Committee.

Martha was an avid traveller, enjoying trips around the world with her husband, C.D. After his passing, she continued her travels with friends and with her children and grandchildren.

Daughter of Malcolm Alden and Marilyn Cross, she is survived by her daughter, Elaine Marr, and grandchildren Sarah Miller and Christiana Delgadillo; son, Rich Marr, and grandchildren Mackenzie and Schuyler Marr; and her brother, David Cross. She is also survived by her stepdaughters Margaret Johnson, grandchildren Emily Futral and Daniel Johnson, great-grandchildren Asher and Liam; Jennifer Sexton, Teresa Burns and Elizabeth Ann Sexton and grandchildren Jarrett, Tate, and Isabella. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, Clarence Daniel "C.D." Sexton, her brother Malcolm Cross, her sister Sarah Cross Williams and her stepdaughter Mary Sexton.

A memorial for Martha will be held in the Activity Room in the Sunridge building at Regents Point on Saturday July 26 at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County (feed.org).