A Tribute to Marlyne Sexton

Posted on June 23, 2025

By Roberta Knickerbocker Jaggers, President

With a grateful heart, The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation celebrates the legacy of longtime friend and donor Marlyne Sexton, who died on June 11, 2025.

Our board and staff offer condolences to Marlyne’s daughters, Nicole Sexton and Tracy Copeland, as well as to everyone at Sexton Companies.

Supporting opportunities for children to learn, grow, and thrive – all while having fun – marked Marlyne’s 30+ years of library giving. Thanks to her longtime support of the Summer Reading Program, hundreds of thousands of children experienced the joy of reading and the satisfaction of earning rewards for achieving reading goals.

To honor her late husband, Joe, Marlyne named the Sexton East Reading Room at Central Library and donated a Hunt Slonem painting to adorn the fireplace. Biographical signs outlining Marlyne and Joe’s business and community accomplishments are located near the Atrium entrance.

Although Marlyne never sought recognition, we took pride in counting her among our top supporters. In 2010, she accepted the Luminary Award, our highest honor for a donor.

We are proud and grateful to have received many contributions in Marlyne’s memory. The White House Historical Association, where Marlyne served on the board of directors, donated 29 of its published titles to the Library’s collection. Continuing Marlyne’s long legacy of nurturing young people’s literacy habits, we will direct financial gifts to the 2026 Summer Reading Program.