Orval Austin Paxson

Orval was born April 16, 1932 to Goldie (Phillips) Paxson and Orval C. Paxson in Fairfield, Iowa.

He moved to Geneseo, IL in 1946 and graduated from Geneseo High School in 1950. He married his high school sweetheart, Mary

Alice Torreyson on August 12, 1951 in Geneseo and raised their family there. Mary is and always will be the love of his life, best friend and best partner a man could ever have. Orval was Asst. Superintendent of Highways in Henry County 1952 - 1965, and Engineer for Foster Excavating in Rock Island 1965 - 1970. He then owned Allied Excavators in East Moline along with his son Richard O. Paxson until 1988 when he and Mary moved to Venice, FL. He worked for Deans Contracting in Venice until retiring at age 62.

He was a pilot, having their own plane in Illinois, always very interested in flying. They also had cruisers on the Mississippi River. He was a Mason, lifetime member and past master. He was a member of Elks, Eagles and Legion and lifetime member of the Moose and VFW.

Orval is survived by his wife Mary, daughter Cindy (Bruce) Walters of Geneseo, 2 sons Richard (Wendy) Paxson of Moline and David (Lori) Paxson of Brighton, MI; grandchildren Ben (Eugenia) Walters

of Madison, WI, Patrick (Kasha) Walters of Auburn, AL, Ian (Athena) Walters of Auburn, AL, Sara (Scott) Munts of Moline, Andrew (Tara Leaf) Paxson of Moline, Ryan (Lauren) Paxson of Grand Rapids, MI,

Jacob (Jenny Hayden) Paxson of Webberville, MI and Joseph Paxson of Warren, MI; 9 great grandchildren,

Kilian, Tanner, Gemma, Christos, Reva, Stella, Kaia, Josephine, Caroline an Hutson, and 1 great great grandchild Solidus.

He was preceded in death by his parents, daughter

in infancy Rebecca, sons Russell Paxson and Jeffrey

Paxson and his sister Janet DeBlieck.

A Celebration of Life will be planned at a later date.