Joseph Spring Paxson

PAXSON, Joseph Spring, of Richmond, retired structural steel engineer, died on January 10, 2010 at MCV Hospital after an illness. He was 84 years old and lived a good, long life. He was born June 26, 1925 in Norfolk to Joseph S. Paxson Sr. and Josephine Vaughan Paxson. He was predeceased by his wife, Lois Lester Paxson; and his sister, Shirley Caffee. He is survived by his daughter, Becky Paxson ILOG; and his granddaughters, Kathryn White of Arlington and Lauren White of Richmond. Joe served in the Army during WWII at age 19 and was injured at the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium. After a long rehab in Army hospitals, he attended Virginia Tech and graduated in 1951 with a B.S. in Engineering. He worked for Richmond Steel and later for Bristol Steel and Iron Works for many years and designed the steel for the Coliseum and City Hall, among other local landmarks. He was a charter member of Stony Point Reformed Presbyterian Church. He spent his retirement making adaptive furniture for disabled children at Children's Hospital, working with the Occupational Therapists there. A memorial service will be held Saturday, January 16 at 1 p.m. at Stony Point Reformed Presbyterian Church, 2330 Buford Rd., Bon Air, Va. 23235. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to the Children's Hospital Foundation, 2924 Brook Rd., Richmond, Va. 23220.


This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.