Edna Paxton

Edna Louise Paxton, daughter of Joseph Minor Hoover and Vera Flossie (Sandy) Hoover, was born January 27, 1928, in Percy, Iowa, and departed this life February 13, 2025, in Heart of the Ozarks Healthcare in Ava, Missouri, at the age of 97 years and 17 days.

On September 1, 1950, she was united in marriage to Earl Paxton and to this union five children were born.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Earl; son, Jesse; grandson, Joshua Schultz; sister, Leota Aborn; brothers, David Hoover and Carl Hoover; and brothers-in-law, Jim Hanson and Jim Aborn.

Edna is survived by two sons, Reverend Dan Paxton and wife, Ella, of Springfield, Missouri, and Mark Paxton and wife, Vicky, of Sparta, Missouri; two daughters, Faith Schultz and husband, Tom, of Olathe, Kansas, and Grace Jones and husband, Randy, of Camden, Tennessee; daughter-in-law, Cheryl Paxton of Mansfield, Missouri; grandchildren, Shari (Justin) Stanbery, Dana (Alex) Fourman, Carmen (Dwayne) Jolley, Damon (Jamie) Paxton, Ashley Paxton, Nicole (Collin) Barrow, Jared (Bryce) Schultz, Scott Schultz, Roy Lee (Brenna) Morris, and Tiffany (Brandon) Williams; great-grandchildren, Alexis, Aaron, Nora, Jasmine, Noah, Hope, Jonah, Olivia, Victor, Minty, Farrah, Ollie, Indica, and Rylee; two sisters, Elaine Hanson of Ava, Missouri, and Mary Fischer of Kansas City, Missouri; many nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.

Edna was born in Iowa and moved with her family every three to six months around the country, because her father was a farmhand looking for work. They lived in Tillamook, Oregon, where she graduated from Tillamook High School. She moved with her parents to Douglas County, Missouri, where her dad bought a farm. The house had no electricity, no water, and had a very leaky roof. Six of them slept in a Willy’s jeep the first night because it was raining so hard. Earl and two of his brothers went to the Midway Store looking for someone to help take care of their mother and Edna volunteered and the rest is history, marrying Earl, September 1, 1950.

She worked for H.D. Lee for many years and was a substitute teacher. She attended Bethany Nazarene College for two years before getting married and decided to go back to college at age 60 and where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music from Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State University) and taught music at several local schools over the years.

Edna made a profession of faith in Christ at a young age and was a member of Mansfield Church of the Nazarene where she was very active in VBS, was a Sunday School teacher, did Bible studies at the Mansfield Nursing Home, went as camp grandma to children’s camp and watched over the homesick, went to Africa and Mexico twice on a work and witness trip for the Nazarene Church, and helped with church projects around the district.

In her spare time, she enjoyed reading and playing piano. She loved to write and even wrote one song that was published.

Edna was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and a caring neighbor and friend. We celebrate her long life and dedication to the Lord Jesus Christ and will rejoice when we are reunited with her in Heaven.