Joyce H. Sexton

Joyce H. (Hengerer) Sexton passed away peacefully on April, 23 2025 in Madison, WI. Joyce and her twin sister Anna were born in 1938 in Jamaica, Long Island, to Bonnie Bell (Guernsey) Hengerer, from Independence, Kansas, and Howard Hengerer, from Buffalo, New York. Joyce grew up on Long Island, where she spent as much time outdoors as possible, learned to swim in the surf at Jones Beach, and fell in love with the New York Yankees-in 1951, the only year both Joe Dimaggio and Mickey Mantle were on the roster.

Joyce graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1960 and then to the University of Wisconsin- Madison in 1966, where she earned her PhD with a specialization in Shakespeare. After a year at the University of Arizona, she married James (Jim) J. Sexton of Madison, Wisconsin, and taught in the University of Wisconsin system for several years. In 1976, began her three decade Career in the Writing Center in Helen C. White Hall at the University Wisconsin-Madison.

After her retirement from the University, she did freelance copyediting for publishers on sport, physical activity, kinesiology, and ophthalmology, among others. She loved “Fixing sentences,” gardening, and being with her cats. She said that the three great influences on her life were her Mother, Shakespeare, and Jim.

She was predeceased by her two older brothers, Howard and Robert Hengerer, her sister Anna Hengerer, Brother in Law, Richard (Dick) Sexton, Sisters in Law, Joan (Fleming) Sexton and Joan Hengerer and by her husband, Jim after 48 years of marriage. She is survived by her daughters Ann (Steve) Bandy and Elizabeth (Carl) Olson and their children, Conor and Hunter Bandy and Ethan, Brock, and Cooper Olson, Sister in Law, Joan (Milo) Jones and many wonderful Nieces, Nephews and Cousins.

Possible Private Remebrance will be planned for a later date.

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