His obituary in the Licking Valley Courier of May 22, 1947 reported:

“Ebon, Ky., May 18 - James Sexton, 58, died in a Lexington Hospital, May 15, with cancer of the throat. He will be greatly missed in the community. He joined the Church of Christ in 1901 and lived a Christian life until his death. He leaves his wife, Maggie Osborn Sexton, and eight children: Mrs. Mina Dogg, Willard and Jessie Sexton of Dayton, Ohio; Ina, Ray Tommy and Ronnie at home; another son, Andna Sexton, by a former marriage; also one sister and three brothers- John, Roscoe and Frank Sexton and Mary Wells, all of Middletown, Ohio. Funeral services were held Saturday and burial was made in the Bailey Cemetery, with Potter and Company Funeral Services in charge.”