Daniel Earl Sexton

Dan Sexton was an only child born and raised in Steubenville, Ohio by his parents William R. Sexton and Betty Overly Sexton. He graduated from Big Red High School in Steubenville, Ohio.
He was a Buckeye through and through and a proud graduate of the Ohio State University with a degree in Agricultural Economics. Dan married Joanne Bacon of Sylvania, Ohio in 1969 and they filled 53 years of marriage with family, rewarding careers and adventure. Dan served in the Army in Fort Belvoir, Fort Leonard Wood, and Fort Benning, Georgia.
Dan always dreamed of working for John Deere. His grandfather had a working farm in Lancaster, Ohio where he developed his interest in farms and farm equipment. His grandfather would take him to the county fair every year and buy him a new John Deere toy. He had quite a collection which is now, unfortunately, lost to the ages. After graduation from OSU his dream was realized when he was hired as a Territory Service Manager at the Syracuse branch of John Deere. He was fortunate to hold various positions in the consumer products division and he and his family were lucky enough to move around the Midwest and Northeast, and they gained many friends along the way. A highlight of his early career was working with John Deere snowmobiles for the Winnipeg to St. Paul snowmobile race, and an awesome awards trip to Hawaii. He held positions in, and they lived in, Syracuse, New York, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, Cranberry, Pennsylvania, Dover, New Hampshire, Horicon, Wisconsin, and Raleigh, North Carolina. After an early retirement from John Deere, his wife's career afforded them to move back to their home state where they lived in Cambridge.
Dan was fortunate to travel extensively in his position in International Marketing with John Deere Corporation and especially loved his experiences and friendships made overseas in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Ireland and the UK. He would often have his wife join him for extended trips and they fell in love with exploring other cultures. After his retirement they continued to travel. France was their favorite destination. Besides Paris, they spent time traveling on the canals in the Burgundy countryside.
Dan was a sailor. Before discovering European travel, Dan and Jo vacationed in the British Virgin Islands, bareboat chartering around the islands. They also enjoyed sailing on their boat on Green Lake, Wisconsin. When returning to live in Ohio they settled for an easier boating venture by having a pontoon boat on Seneca Lake.
Dan also loved duck hunting in Ohio with his German Shorthaired Pointer, Oskar. When living in Syracuse, Dan and his wife showed GSPs in competition and took home a few blue ribbons with their first dog.
Above all, Dan was a family man and although he loved to travel, he loved being at home. Dan and Jo's son Doug and wife Tiffany live in Dublin, Ohio and have four boys Tucker, Hunter, Foster, and Charlie. Their daughter Jennifer and her daughter Rory and son Lance live in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Dan was a member of the Rotary Club of Cambridge where he chaired the Ecology committee, promoting the club's Adopt a Highway program and seedling tree giveaway for Arbor Day. He exemplified Rotary's Service Above Self motto. He was deeply proud to be a member of the Rotary family locally and around the world. During travels, he always looked for the Rotary Meets Here sign and he and Jo would try to attend the meetings with clubs wherever they were. He was a member of the Paul Harris society, earned by his level of giving.
Dan loved to fix things, was a Do It Yourselfer. He was analytical, detail oriented and extremely curious about how things worked. The gifted sign on his workshop door reads- All Kinds Repair Work Neatly Done- he was a perfectionist and always took the time to do a respectable and thorough job.
Dan was an only child and had very few relatives as he was growing up. He was surprised and thrilled when cousins who lived in West Virginia "found" Dan through Ancestry.com. He was able to get to know them last Christmas right before his health issues worsened. He was so deeply thankful for his "new" family who have been so caring and loving this past year.
At the end of his life and struggling with health issues he could still get on his JD tractor and mow his property, refusing to relinquish the pleasure it gave him. Dan loved jazz, Motown and the oldies. He enjoyed playing golf, building projects in his wood working shop, and a Tito's at the end of the day.
Calling hours will be from 2:00 to 4:00 on Wednesday October 12, 2022 at Bundy-Law Funeral Home with funeral services to follow at 4:00 at the funeral home with Evan Greathouse and Gary Mbiad officiating. Memorial contributions can be made to the Rotary Club of Cambridge P.O. Box 662 Cambridge, Ohio 43725. On-line condolences can be sent to the family at www.bundy-lawfuneralhome.com.