Harley was born Sept. 13, 1918, in Ava, to William and Cora (Lee) Sexton Harley Lee Sexton, 87, of Pittsburg, Kans., died at 5:25 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 29, 2005, at Mt. Carmel Regional Medical Center in Pittsburg, Kans.
Harley was born Sept. 13, 1918, in Ava, to William and Cora (Lee) Sexton. Harley’s mother died when he was only three months old. He was cared for by his grandparents Lee for the first few years.
He attended school in Ava and also worked at several jobs in Ava, including the barrel factory and the stave mill.
While living in Ava he belonged to the First General Baptist Church.
In 1946, at Ava, he was united in marriage to Vivian Fletcher. To this union two daughters were born, Peggy Lee and baby Lucille Sexton. Both Vivian and baby Lucille died a few hours apart the same day in 1948.
Harley served his country in the United States Army during WW II. He was honorably discharged in 1945.
He started to work at Boeing Aircraft in Wichita, Kans., and worked for 30 years.
He then went to Ventureline in Parsons, Kans. and later went to Vickers Machine Shop in Joplin as a machinist.
He decided to open his own garage on West 4th Street known as H&L Garage. He was the owner and operator there until his retirement in 1982.
On May 17, 1970, he married Helen (Clark) Rhodes, in Pittsburg, Kans. She survives of the home.
Harley was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Ray Sexton; sisters, Dell Gunter, Nell Foster, Lucille Johnson and Grace Nutter; numerous half sisters and half brothers; nieces and nephews.
Additional survivors include a daughter, Peggy Lee Whitcher, of Dallas, Texas; step-daughter, Sherri Stenseng, of El Dorado, Kans.; and step-son, Gary Rhodes, of Ft. Scott, Kans.; half sister, Sara Cordelia Martin, of Galveston, Texas; along with two grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.
Graveside services and burial were held Sat., Oct. 1, at Bourbon County Memory Gardens, in Ft. Scott, Kans., with Pastor Don Alexander officiating. Flag presentation was given by the VFW Post #1165, Olsen Fairy Burkhart of Ft. Scott, Kans. E-mail condolences may be left at admin@bathnaylor.kscoxmail.com. Arrangements and services were under the direction of Bath-Naylor Funeral Home of Pittsburg, Kans.
