Kenneth Paxton Obituary

Kenneth W. (Ken) Paxton, 74, passed away at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, August 23, 2016, in the ICU at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital after a valiant fight with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He was born August 4, 1942, in Clinton, and grew up in Slaughter. He attended Slaughter Elementary, Zachary High, and LSU, receiving both a bachelor's and master's degree from LSU. He received a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee in 1971 and immediately thereafter accepted a position as assistant professor at LSU. While in high school, he was very active in FFA which greatly influenced his choice of careers. He continued employment in the LSU Department of Agricultural Economics & Agribusiness for the next 40 years until his retirement as professor emeritus in 2011, including department head from 1996 to 1999. In 2011 he was named the LSU College of Agriculture's Outstanding Alumnus. He was active in numerous college, campus, and professional organizations, holding officer positions in Alpha Zeta, Gamma Sigma Delta, the American Society of Farm Managers & Rural Appraisers, Red Stick Forestry Association, the Southern Agricultural Economics Association, and the American Agricultural Economics Association. He served as local arrangements coordinator for the AAEA national meeting at LSU in 1990. His main area of research was the economics of cotton production; he authored more than 200 articles and publications. At LSU, he also served two terms on the Faculty Senate, including one term as president. Other organizations in which he was involved, including holding elected office, were Cadets of the Ole War Skule, Omicron Delta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, and the LSU Retired Faculty & Staff Club. He was an active member of the Downtown Kiwanis club where he was serving as Vice-President and preparing for this year's pancake breakfast. He was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity and the Krewe of Tucumcari. In addition to his LSU activities, he served for many years on the Board of Campus Federal Credit Union, including two terms as chairman. He was an active member of First Presbyterian Church, serving as both a deacon and elder. He enjoyed playing golf, fishing, gardening, and watching LSU football. He is survived by his wife of 47 years Libby Paxton, daughter Julie Paxton Sullivan, granddaughter Alex Olivia Sullivan, brother Roy K. Paxton and his fiancé Nyki Lane, and several cousins including Shirley Stirling, Taylor Croom, Connie Adams, and Carmen Harold. He was preceded in death by his father Tom Paxton, mother Helen Croom Paxton, brother Tommy Lynn Paxton, sister-in-law Annette LeFeaux Paxton, mother-in-law Edith Coppinger, and son-in-law Tim Sullivan. We would like to thank the staffs at OLOL, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, MD Anderson, the OLOL critical care team, Dr. Scott Wharton, Dr. Harold Clausen, and Dr. Bryan Bienvenu for their phenomenal care. Visitation will be at Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 Government Street, Friday, August 26, from 5 to 8 p.m., and will continue on Saturday, August 27, at First Presbyterian Church, 763 North Boulevard, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with religious services at 1 p.m., conducted by Rev. Gerrit Dawson. Interment will follow at Redwood Baptist Cemetery in Slaughter. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the LSU Department of Agricultural Economics & Agribusiness scholarship fund.

Published by The Advocate from Aug. 25 to Aug. 27, 2016.
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Memories and Condolences
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You can never forget the people in your life that make a big impression. Ken is one of them. I knew him as a calming presence and he had a good sense of humor, at least he laughed at my jokes! If I ever had a need for certain information that he knew, he was always available to me for assistance. He was a good man, inside and out.
Ken, you are missed by me.

Glenn Bryson

August 19, 2021

As I said four years ago, as a next door neighbor of Ken and Libby, Ken was an outstanding gentleman both at work and with his friends and neighbors. Ken and I had many talks out in the yard over the years. We also shared generators during hurricanes. One year he ran an extension cord over to my house and during another, I ran one over to his. When he asked me who loaned me a generator, I told him it was my son's father-in-law, who turned out to have been a student of his in years past! I really miss our talks in the yard. We promised each other that whoever gets to Heaven first, he would pray for the other. Thank you, Ken. I need all the help I can get to get there.

GLENN BRYSON

Neighbor

August 20, 2020

Libby, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

George & Dorothy Ohlendorf

August 27, 2016

Libby, you and your family are certainly in my prayers. Ken was such a wonderful person who gave of himself to help others. I had the privilege of meeting Ken at Kiwanis and witnessed his caring, sensitive and mild mannered personality. His love for his Lord was demonstrated through his service to others. Blessings.

Pat Davis

August 26, 2016

Mr. Ken was a man I came to respect and admire through the years. Always soft spoken and never wasted a word. Through he and his family's goodness I have had the privilege of staying in their time honored home and on this beloved property so full of rich memories. Thank You Mr. Ken for all you gave me and for the lives you touched so richly in your time here on earth.

Don Strickland

August 26, 2016

Ken will be missed. Libby and Julie, our hearts and prayers are with you. Strength to you and peace.

Dawn Harris

August 26, 2016

A good man and colleague. We always had interesting conversations and could laugh a lot, Rest in peace Ken. Lamar Jones

Lamar Jones

August 26, 2016

It has been a pleasure and an honor to have known Ken and Libby Paxton as neighbors for a couple of decades. Ken was an outstanding gentleman both at work and with his friends and neighbors. He will be missed very much, but as his daughter Julie said when she told me he had passed, "He's in a better place." God bless you Ken in your new home.

Glenn Bryson

August 25, 2016

Dr. Paxton will be deeply missed by so many folks, including the entire Campus Federal family. Ken was a great man that gave tirelessly to so many people, charitable organizations, educated thousands of LSU students, served as a long time volunteer Board Members for Credit Union members, and was respected by everyone. His love for his wife Libby, daughter Julie, and his granddaughter, Alex, was so clear in his actions and words every time we played golf together. Ken will be dearly missed! May he rest in peace in the kingdom of heaven. Ms.Libby and Julie, if you need anything just let me know. Ron Moreau

Ron Moreau

August 25, 2016

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