George William Paxman passed away peacefully on May 17, 2018 surrounded by his loving wife and children. He was born on July 24, 1933 in Nephi, Utah. He always joked that everyone celebrated his birthday because he was so special (July 24th).
He was born to William James Paxman and Vivian Florence Tranter. He had fond memories of growing up in Scipio and Nephi, Utah. He loved the mountains, riding horses, and spending time with his family.
He was a peacekeeper, never wanting contention or issues that caused family stress. He worked hard at everything he did, whether it was construction, farming, raising six kids plus two foster children, to teaching school. He often said that if someone else could do it, he could learn how to do it too.
He was a member of the Kiwanis Club and the Nephi Horse club. Served in the US Army from 1953 to 1955 in Germany during the Korean War and then served a LDS mission from 1956 – 1958 in Southern California. After his mission he married Norma Betty Andersen in 1958 and had seven children together: Robert (Salee) Paxman, Barbara (Steve) Hannett, Connie (Shawn) Hannett, Jack Paxman, David Paxman, Andrea (Kenny) Kay, and Valerie Belknap.
He worked for the US Forest Service for several years where he learned to hate skunk weed. He first attended BYU and then Utah State University earning his teaching degree. He was a beloved teacher first in Ogden, Utah and then Nephi, Utah as an elementary teacher.
After retiring from teaching he work as a Boat Captain on the Colorado River in Moab, Utah. He met Janet Rosella Daley while they were both working for Canyonlands by Night and Day in Moab. They were married in August of 2002 on the Colorado River and later sealed in the Salt Lake LDS Temple in 2004 which added another four children to the family, Julie Stewart (deceased), Debi (Larry) Fleenor, Dan Jenkins, and Lily (Scott) Houtz.
He was preceded in death by his parents William and Vivian Paxman, his sons Robert, Jack, and David Paxman, and his daughter Julie Stewart. He is survived by his sister Florence (Leo) Memmott, his brothers Richard (Karen) Paxman, Preston (Debbie) Paxman, Bert (Sandra) Paxman, brothers-in-law Robert (Bob) Daley, Joe Daley, and sister-in-law Lilian O’Hara, his children, Barbara, Connie, Andrea, Valerie, Debi, Dan, and Lily; as well as by 33 grandchildren and 29 great grandchildren. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 23, 2018 at 11:00 am in the Nephi First Ward Chapel.
Friends and family may visit at the Anderson Funeral home on Tuesday, May 22, 2018 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm; and one hour prior to services. Interment will be at Vine Bluff Cemetery in Nephi, Utah.
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