Obituary for William Therman Paxton
William Therman Paxton was born on September 14, 1928, to Bruce and Addie Hall Paxton in the Lake Creek, Oklahoma community. At the age of two weeks, Lottie Paxton Haygood and her husband, Sam Haygood, took Therman into their loving home where he was raised as their son in the Jester community with their two older sons, Ike and Bud Haygood, and their families. It was often said that Therman needed such a large family, as it took all of them to raise him. Even getting him on the school bus every morning was a family affair.
On March 16, 1946, Therman went on a blind date where met the love of his life, Jimmie Faye Casey. Therman would later joke that he lost his independence on Independence Day of that year when he asked Jimmie to marry him while on a Fourth of July picnic. They were married on July 27, 1946, and were blessed with 69 beautiful years of marriage. To this union were born three children: Wayne, Connie and Casey Paxton.
Therman was a hard worker and supported his family by farming in the Jester community, working at Armco Steel in Mangum, and managing Paxton’s Fashions. After retirement, he opened a small repair shop, repairing vacuum cleaners, sewing machines, and playing with his great-granddaughter Renee.
Therman was saved as a young boy at the Deer Creek Methodist Church, where he first began singing for the Lord. As a young adult, Therman was instrumental in helping to begin Trinity Baptist Chapel as a mission of the First Baptist Church of Mangum, OK. He agreed to lead the music for this new church mission until another song leader could be found. He kept that job for the next 50 years.
Singing was the joy of his life. As with the Psalmist, Therman’s life reflected Psalm 146 verses 1 and 2: Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
In 2015, following Jimmie’s death, Therman moved to OKC. Living at Meadowlake Estates, Therman became a favorite among the residents as he continued to sing. Through all the mental and physical changes that came so quickly, Therman never lost his ability to remember every verse of every song in the Baptist Hymnal. The residents soon learned that all they had to do was make a song request, and their request would be granted. One resident said he was better than a jukebox because you didn’t have to pay the dime.
Therman passed away on January 30, 2018, following a very brief closing paragraph in his life. His family would like to thank the staff at Meadowlake Estates for making his final years a wonderful closing chapter.
Therman was preceded in death by his natural parents Bruce and Addie Paxton, nine Paxton brothers and sisters, the Aunt and Uncle who raised him, Sam and Lottie Haygood, two Haygood brothers, Ike and Bud, and his wife of 69 years, Jimmie Casey Paxton. He is survived by one brother, Don Paxton of Arlington, TX, son Wayne and his wife Evelyn Paxton of OKC, daughter Connie and her husband Duane Chenoweth of OKC, and son Casey and his wife Karla Paxton of Mangum. He is also survived by six grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and one great-great granddaughter.
Services for Therman are 2:00pm Friday, February 2, 2018 at the First Baptist Church in Mangum with burial at Roselawn Cemetery under the direction of Greer Funeral Home of Mangum.
Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Psalm 150: 1,6
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On March 16, 1946, Therman went on a blind date where met the love of his life, Jimmie Faye Casey. Therman would later joke that he lost his independence on Independence Day of that year when he asked Jimmie to marry him while on a Fourth of July picnic. They were married on July 27, 1946, and were blessed with 69 beautiful years of marriage. To this union were born three children: Wayne, Connie and Casey Paxton.
Therman was a hard worker and supported his family by farming in the Jester community, working at Armco Steel in Mangum, and managing Paxton’s Fashions. After retirement, he opened a small repair shop, repairing vacuum cleaners, sewing machines, and playing with his great-granddaughter Renee.
Therman was saved as a young boy at the Deer Creek Methodist Church, where he first began singing for the Lord. As a young adult, Therman was instrumental in helping to begin Trinity Baptist Chapel as a mission of the First Baptist Church of Mangum, OK. He agreed to lead the music for this new church mission until another song leader could be found. He kept that job for the next 50 years.
Singing was the joy of his life. As with the Psalmist, Therman’s life reflected Psalm 146 verses 1 and 2: Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
In 2015, following Jimmie’s death, Therman moved to OKC. Living at Meadowlake Estates, Therman became a favorite among the residents as he continued to sing. Through all the mental and physical changes that came so quickly, Therman never lost his ability to remember every verse of every song in the Baptist Hymnal. The residents soon learned that all they had to do was make a song request, and their request would be granted. One resident said he was better than a jukebox because you didn’t have to pay the dime.
Therman passed away on January 30, 2018, following a very brief closing paragraph in his life. His family would like to thank the staff at Meadowlake Estates for making his final years a wonderful closing chapter.
Therman was preceded in death by his natural parents Bruce and Addie Paxton, nine Paxton brothers and sisters, the Aunt and Uncle who raised him, Sam and Lottie Haygood, two Haygood brothers, Ike and Bud, and his wife of 69 years, Jimmie Casey Paxton. He is survived by one brother, Don Paxton of Arlington, TX, son Wayne and his wife Evelyn Paxton of OKC, daughter Connie and her husband Duane Chenoweth of OKC, and son Casey and his wife Karla Paxton of Mangum. He is also survived by six grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and one great-great granddaughter.
Services for Therman are 2:00pm Friday, February 2, 2018 at the First Baptist Church in Mangum with burial at Roselawn Cemetery under the direction of Greer Funeral Home of Mangum.
Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Psalm 150: 1,6
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Previous Events
Viewing
Thursday
1
Feb
6:30 PM
- 7:30 PM
Greer Funeral Home
235 South Pennsylvania
Mangum, OK 73554
Funeral
Friday
2
Feb
2:00 PM
First Baptist Church
228 N. Oklahoma Ave.
Mangum, OK 73554
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