Paxson Gordon
1925 – 2019
Lucian Paxson Gordon, 94, passed to his eternal home in heaven, Thursday, September 19, 2019. Paxson was born April 28, 1925, to JL and Cloe (Paxson) Gordon in Center Ridge, Arkansas. He was the 5 th of 7 children. Paxson graduated from high school in Lonoke, Arkansas, in 1943. He promptly joined the Army Air Corp and served the country until the end of the war.
After his discharge, he began his college career at Harding College in Searcy, Arkansas, where he had met the love of his life, Opal Fae Shaffer. They were married July 14, 1946. Upon graduating from Harding, Paxson began his career in education, which led him to take his family to Beaver County, Oklahoma. It was here that they raised their 5 children. Paxson retired from teaching from Liberal, Kansas in 1992 and traveled the country with their best friends, Dean and Virginia Niles.
Paxson's real passion was spreading the gospel. He loved to preach the Good News and spent much of his spare time studying the scriptures and preparing sermons. He spent time in the pulpit in Booker, Texas, Beaver, Oklahoma, Darrouzett, Texas, and anywhere else that needed him. Paxson and his wife, along with the Niles, spent many years traveling to Romania to serve as missionaries and to help the church there. He also served as an elder in the Beaver Church of Christ.
In 2001, Paxson and Opal Fae moved to Edmond to be closer to their children. This move allowed them to spend more time watching their grandchildren and their great grandchildren, which they took great delight in.
Paxson is survived by his wife, Opal Fae, and children: Norma Bridgwater (Danny), Larry (Diane), Linda Peters (Kermit), Sylvan ( Brenda), 13 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren with 2 more on the way, and
nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, brothers and sisters, and daughter Alma.
Public visitation will be Monday, September 23rd from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM, with family present to receive friends from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM, at Matthews Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be 10:00 AM, Tuesday, September 24th at the Edmond Church of Christ with interment to follow at Gracelawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to "In Search of the Lord's Way" television ministries.