Evelyn Paxson, 97, of Portage died at her home in Kalamazoo on Apr 27, 2005.
Evelyn's life began on Jul 12, 1907 in a home on Hamilton St in Dowagiac; the daughter of Joseph and Jennie (Phelps) Roth. Her family moved shortly after she was born to a farm in Glenwood to try their hand at farming. She is a graduate of the Dowagiac High School Class of 1924, Country Normal Teachers School and Western Normal with a Life Teaching Certificate.
On Jun 12, 1931, she was united in marriage to Ronald Paxson in Dowagiac.
Evelyn taught in Niles, Glenwood, and Dowagiac Schools until her retirement in 1971.
Evelyn was a community leader, very active in the Federated Church, served as president of the Business and Professional Women's Club and was the only woman on the Dowagiac City Charter Commission. She taught and performed piano for many years in Dowagiac.
In 1972, she moved to Kalkaska, where she had been a longtime summer visitor. she became involved in local activities as well as the Traverse City Unitarian Fellowship.
Evelyn moved to Kalamazoo to be near her family in later years and gave her time to the Kalamazoo Institute of Art, the Peoples Unitarian Church in Kalamazoo and the Audubon Chapter.
Her greatest joy was her family which includes two sons, Richard of Kalamazoo and David of Minneapolis; daughter, Marlane Farleigh of South Carolina; five grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; and one great great grandchild; and a sister, Mildred Green of Paisley, FL.
Evelyn has donated her body to the University of Michigan Medical School.
A memorial service is being planned for later date.
Her family is being served by the Groner Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Dowagiac.
