Kay Sexton, former v-p communications for B. Dalton, died on October 17 at her home in Arden Hills, Minn. She was 91.
Sexton began her career in books in the late 1960s, as the manager of the first B. Dalton store, and, in her communications role, she later became the face of the company (acquired by Barnes & Noble in 1986, which closed the final outlets in 2010). She also became a local celebrity thanks to her weekly TV show, Hooked on Books; her weekly newsletter shared the same name.
In addition to her Dalton work, Sexton helped create the Minnesota Center for Book Arts, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit that celebrates literary and book arts, served on the board of directors of the Graywolf Press, and was a consultant to Barnes & Noble after its purchase of Dalton.
The Kay Sexton Award, created in 1988 and of which she was the first recipient, is given annually by the Minnesota Book Awards committee to an individual who has made significant contributions to publishing and literary arts in Minnesota.
She is survived by her sister, Liz, and many nieces and nephews, as well as grand nieces and nephews.
