|
Jean Thomson Paxton, 99, passed away on October 2, 2009 in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Jean was born on September 8, 1910 in Toelle, Utah to Harry and Alice O'Connor Thomson. She spent the first eight years of her life primarily in Clarkdale, AZ and Los Angeles where her father, a metallurgical engineer from Canada, worked as a mining consultant. When her family relocated to Vancouver, BC, Jean and her three sisters enjoyed city life and relished excursions to nearby Grouse Mountain with boating at Alta Lake (Jean had her own canoe), horseback riding, and staying in the family cabin in the serene environment of those days. After the death of her father, Jean attended her last year of high school in Berkeley, CA where she later completed a business course while living with her Aunt Margaret. Working as a stenographer for Bell Telephone in San Francisco, she crossed the San Francisco Bay by ferry from Oakland every day, a trip that was never dull with the variety of interesting commuters onboard. In 1937, Jean married her sweetheart Hugh Paxton and, soon after, they left for Paris where Hugh, a nuclear physicist, was involved in building the Paris cyclotron at the College of France. In 1938, the impending war brought them back to New York, their ship weathering a hurricane on the journey back. In New York, Jean worked as a freelance secretary while Hugh continued his work in physics and taught at Columbia University. Their daughter Susan was born in New York. Hugh's work took them to Oak Ridge, TN in 1944, then to Philadelphia in 1945 where their son Alan was born. In 1948, they moved to Los Alamos, NM, a scientific community in the Jemez Mountains, where they lived for over fifty years. In 2004, Jean, widowed, moved to Las Cruces, to be close to her daughter. Jean was a devoted wife, mother, and friend, throwing dinner parties at a moment's notice, helping with Brownie Scouts and Cub Scouts, creating ballet and tap dancing costumes, transporting kids to music lessons in Albuquerque and to horseback riding lessons in Espanola, drilling kids on spelling words, typing term papers, and being available for friends in need. Jean was an avid bridge player, belonged to a women's golfing league, and enjoyed bird watching excursions and traveling with Hugh especially after his retirement. She is survived by her son Alan and wife Merideth of Albuquerque, NM; daughter Susan and husband Joseph Gomez of Las Cruces, NM; granddaughter Jennifer and husband Gustav Verhulsdonck of Las Cruces, NM; granddaughter Carrie Gomez of Roswell, NM; a brother-in-law Norman L. Paxton of Merritt Island, FL; and many nieces and nephews. As per Jean's wishes, cremation has taken place. A private memorial service will be held at a later date. Jean's family is indebted to her wonderful caregivers Lucy Moreno and Franky and Terry Lopez who enabled her to be secure, comfortable, and happy during the last 21 months of her life. Memorial contributions for Jean may be made to the Safe Haven Animal Sanctuary (SHAS), mailing address: 144 Wyatt Dr., Las Cruces, NM 88005 or website: www.safehavenanimalsanctuary.net Arrangements entrusted to the care of La Paz-Graham's Funeral Home, 555 West Amador, Las Cruces, NM 88005
|
