William C. Paxton II, 81, of Latrobe, passed away Friday, April 22, 2016, in Excela Health Latrobe Hospital. He was born Oct. 8, 1934, in Latrobe, a son of the late H. Donald and Leah (Eves) Paxton. Bill was a graduate of Latrobe High School and was captain of their first wrestling team. He then attended Penn State University where he was on the gymnastics team. In 1956 he came in sixth in the NCAA, and was undefeated in dual meets as a Tumbler. While at Penn State he was a member of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity. He graduated from Penn State with his Bachelor of Science in Forestry. He then attended Officers Candidate School in Newport, R.I. and became a Communications Officer in the Navy attaining the rank of Lieutenant JG. He was stationed out of San Diego serving on the USS Kearsarge in the South Pacific. He was honorably discharged from the Naval Reserves in 1960. After serving his country, Bill went back to Penn State and became a Registered Landscape Architect in 1968.
His career included working for the United States Forest Service in Missoula, Mont., the state of Pennsylvania as a Nursery Inspector, and also working for the Westmoreland County Department of Parks and Recreation where he was instrumental in designing and supervising the handicapped accessible fishing decks and walkways at Twin Lakes Park. He became a self-employed Landscape Architect and Forester and was on the faculty at Westmoreland County Community College in their Horticulture Department. He had also taught classes at St. Vincent College and Chatham University. Bill was a charter member of the Botanical Society of Westmoreland County joining in 1949 and serving as an officer for over 20 years. He was also a member and past chairmen of the Herb Society of America.
An avid bird-watcher, he had a lifetime list of 462 species. He was a self-taught artist, a professional photographer, actor and a published author and poet. He also was a dancer for eight years with the Coal Country Cloggers. In addition to his parents, Bill was preceded in death by his first wife, Janet (Wright) Paxton, in 1991; his second wife, Glenda Paxton, in 2009; and a nephew, Eric Paxton. He is survived by two children, Laurel Paxton Rush and her husband, Dale, of Avella, Pa., and William C. Paxton III and his wife, Christa, of Cornelius, N.C.; his granddaughter, Leah Paxton Rush; twin grandchildren on the way (a boy and a girl); his brother, Donald Paxton and his wife, Cheryl, of Latrobe; nieces, Jill and Michele; and nephew, Donald.
Friends will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday and from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.n. Monday in the HARTMAN-GRAZIANO FUNERAL HOME INC., 1500 Ligonier St. in Latrobe. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday in Unity Chapel, 114 Chapel Lane, Latrobe, PA 15650 with his pastor, the Rev. Jack Emerick, officiating. Interment will follow in Unity Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the William C. Paxton II Scholarship Fund, 487 Fox Road, Avella, PA 15312. To post an online condolence, please visit www.hartman-grazianofuneralhome.com.
(Published in Greensburg Tribune Review on Apr. 24, 2016)
His career included working for the United States Forest Service in Missoula, Mont., the state of Pennsylvania as a Nursery Inspector, and also working for the Westmoreland County Department of Parks and Recreation where he was instrumental in designing and supervising the handicapped accessible fishing decks and walkways at Twin Lakes Park. He became a self-employed Landscape Architect and Forester and was on the faculty at Westmoreland County Community College in their Horticulture Department. He had also taught classes at St. Vincent College and Chatham University. Bill was a charter member of the Botanical Society of Westmoreland County joining in 1949 and serving as an officer for over 20 years. He was also a member and past chairmen of the Herb Society of America.
An avid bird-watcher, he had a lifetime list of 462 species. He was a self-taught artist, a professional photographer, actor and a published author and poet. He also was a dancer for eight years with the Coal Country Cloggers. In addition to his parents, Bill was preceded in death by his first wife, Janet (Wright) Paxton, in 1991; his second wife, Glenda Paxton, in 2009; and a nephew, Eric Paxton. He is survived by two children, Laurel Paxton Rush and her husband, Dale, of Avella, Pa., and William C. Paxton III and his wife, Christa, of Cornelius, N.C.; his granddaughter, Leah Paxton Rush; twin grandchildren on the way (a boy and a girl); his brother, Donald Paxton and his wife, Cheryl, of Latrobe; nieces, Jill and Michele; and nephew, Donald.
Friends will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday and from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.n. Monday in the HARTMAN-GRAZIANO FUNERAL HOME INC., 1500 Ligonier St. in Latrobe. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday in Unity Chapel, 114 Chapel Lane, Latrobe, PA 15650 with his pastor, the Rev. Jack Emerick, officiating. Interment will follow in Unity Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the William C. Paxton II Scholarship Fund, 487 Fox Road, Avella, PA 15312. To post an online condolence, please visit www.hartman-grazianofuneralhome.com.
(Published in Greensburg Tribune Review on Apr. 24, 2016)
William C. Paxton II, 81, of Latrobe, passed away Friday, April 22, 2016, in Excela Health Latrobe Hospital. He was born Oct. 8, 1934, in Latrobe, a son of the late H. Donald and Leah (Eves) Paxton. Bill was a graduate of Latrobe High School and was captain of their first wrestling team. He then attended Penn State University where he was on the gymnastics team. In 1956 he came in sixth in the NCAA, and was undefeated in dual meets as a Tumbler. While at Penn State he was a member of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity. He graduated from Penn State with his Bachelor of Science in Forestry. He then attended Officers Candidate School in Newport, R.I. and became a Communications Officer in the Navy attaining the rank of Lieutenant JG. He was stationed out of San Diego serving on the USS Kearsarge in the South Pacific. He was honorably discharged from the Naval Reserves in 1960. After serving his country, Bill went back to Penn State and became a Registered Landscape Architect in 1968.
His career included working for the United States Forest Service in Missoula, Mont., the state of Pennsylvania as a Nursery Inspector, and also working for the Westmoreland County Department of Parks and Recreation where he was instrumental in designing and supervising the handicapped accessible fishing decks and walkways at Twin Lakes Park. He became a self-employed Landscape Architect and Forester and was on the faculty at Westmoreland County Community College in their Horticulture Department. He had also taught classes at St. Vincent College and Chatham University. Bill was a charter member of the Botanical Society of Westmoreland County joining in 1949 and serving as an officer for over 20 years. He was also a member and past chairmen of the Herb Society of America.
An avid bird-watcher, he had a lifetime list of 462 species. He was a self-taught artist, a professional photographer, actor and a published author and poet. He also was a dancer for eight years with the Coal Country Cloggers. In addition to his parents, Bill was preceded in death by his first wife, Janet (Wright) Paxton, in 1991; his second wife, Glenda Paxton, in 2009; and a nephew, Eric Paxton. He is survived by two children, Laurel Paxton Rush and her husband, Dale, of Avella, Pa., and William C. Paxton III and his wife, Christa, of Cornelius, N.C.; his granddaughter, Leah Paxton Rush; twin grandchildren on the way (a boy and a girl); his brother, Donald Paxton and his wife, Cheryl, of Latrobe; nieces, Jill and Michele; and nephew, Donald.
Friends will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday and from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.n. Monday in the HARTMAN-GRAZIANO FUNERAL HOME INC., 1500 Ligonier St. in Latrobe. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday in Unity Chapel, 114 Chapel Lane, Latrobe, PA 15650 with his pastor, the Rev. Jack Emerick, officiating. Interment will follow in Unity Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the William C. Paxton II Scholarship Fund, 487 Fox Road, Avella, PA 15312. To post an online condolence, please visit www.hartman-grazianofuneralhome.com.
(Published in Greensburg Tribune Review on Apr. 24, 2016)
His career included working for the United States Forest Service in Missoula, Mont., the state of Pennsylvania as a Nursery Inspector, and also working for the Westmoreland County Department of Parks and Recreation where he was instrumental in designing and supervising the handicapped accessible fishing decks and walkways at Twin Lakes Park. He became a self-employed Landscape Architect and Forester and was on the faculty at Westmoreland County Community College in their Horticulture Department. He had also taught classes at St. Vincent College and Chatham University. Bill was a charter member of the Botanical Society of Westmoreland County joining in 1949 and serving as an officer for over 20 years. He was also a member and past chairmen of the Herb Society of America.
An avid bird-watcher, he had a lifetime list of 462 species. He was a self-taught artist, a professional photographer, actor and a published author and poet. He also was a dancer for eight years with the Coal Country Cloggers. In addition to his parents, Bill was preceded in death by his first wife, Janet (Wright) Paxton, in 1991; his second wife, Glenda Paxton, in 2009; and a nephew, Eric Paxton. He is survived by two children, Laurel Paxton Rush and her husband, Dale, of Avella, Pa., and William C. Paxton III and his wife, Christa, of Cornelius, N.C.; his granddaughter, Leah Paxton Rush; twin grandchildren on the way (a boy and a girl); his brother, Donald Paxton and his wife, Cheryl, of Latrobe; nieces, Jill and Michele; and nephew, Donald.
Friends will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday and from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.n. Monday in the HARTMAN-GRAZIANO FUNERAL HOME INC., 1500 Ligonier St. in Latrobe. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday in Unity Chapel, 114 Chapel Lane, Latrobe, PA 15650 with his pastor, the Rev. Jack Emerick, officiating. Interment will follow in Unity Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the William C. Paxton II Scholarship Fund, 487 Fox Road, Avella, PA 15312. To post an online condolence, please visit www.hartman-grazianofuneralhome.com.
(Published in Greensburg Tribune Review on Apr. 24, 2016)
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