Frank Paxton, Jr. was born November 14, 1918, in Kansas City, MO, the eldest son of Frank Paxton, Sr., founder of Frank Paxton Lumber Co., and Marjorie Lane Paxton. He began his education at William Rockhill Nelson Elementary School and spent cherished summers at Camp Sosowagaming, for which he produced a song book and directory in later years. He graduated from Paseo High School and attended the University of Washington at Seattle, where he joined the Psi Upsilon fraternity. He then went to Virginia Military Institute, following a tradition of military education set by his great-grandfather, Brig. Gen. Elisha Frank Paxton, Commander of the Stonewall Brigade, and continued by his grandfather, John Gallatin Paxton, and his father. Later in his career, he graduated from the Stanford University Executive Leadership Program.
Frank enlisted in the U.S. Army Cavalry in August, 1941. He was honorably discharged as a major in 1946 and joined the Frank Paxton Lumber Co. He founded the Chicago branch of the company in 1947. Frank returned to Kansas City when his father died unexpectedly in 1951, and he was elected President and Chief Executive Officer of the company. He served in that position from 1951 to 1988 and as Chairman of the Board from 1988 to 1990. Frank Paxton, Jr. believed that a ``true merchant'' sets the community's standards of quality, fair practice, dignity, respect for individuals' worth, and social responsibility. His business career reflects a lifelong commitment to quality and customer service. Under his leadership, the company grew to become the nation's largest distributor of hardwood lumber.
Frank served on the Board of Directors of the National Hardwood Lumber Association and was a former president of the National Wholesale Lumber Dealers Association. He initiated a successful effort to establish fair measurement practice in lumber sales. In recognition of this, the company received the Phillips Ethics Award. To better serve customers in Technology Education, Frank diversified the company and formed Paxton Patterson, which has become one of the nation's largest distributors of equipment and materials to schools. His deep commitment to the nation's youth has been recognized by a variety of industry honors nationwide.
As well as distribution-based businesses, Frank sought to develop new products to meet his customers' needs. In the Lietz Company, a Paxton subsidiary, Frank recognized that Japanese surveying instruments needed modification to meet the needs of American customers. In the early 1970s, he partnered with Sokkisha, in an innovative, co-partner product development style that has become an international business trend in the 1980s and 1990s. Frank Paxton, Jr.'s commitment to service extended beyond the business world. He worked tirelessly on behalf of education, especially for at-risk youth. He served on the board and the advisory board of De La Salle Education Center, the board of the Guadalupe Center, and was a Special Advisor to Genesis School. He was a business partner of the McCoy Traditional School in the Kansas City, MO district. He served as Treasurer of the Board of Police Commissioners from 1977 to 1981. He was the founding chairman of the Thomas Hart Benton Associates. He was a member of the Kansas City Country Club and the River Club. He shot two holes-in-one in a lifelong enjoyment of golf.
After many years of intense and enthusiastic research, he recently completed a 30-year genealogical and historical study of the Paxton family, beginning with the establishment of the family name in 12th century Scotland.
He is survived by his wife, Mildred Heath Paxton, and five children: Rebecca Louise Paxton and Lee Myers, La Jolla, CA; Marjorie Lane Paxton and her husband, Preston Jay McCall, Kansas City, MO; Frank Paxton III and his wife, Isabel Thayer Thomson Paxton, Kansas City, MO; James William Paxton and his wife, The Honorable Ann P. Winebrenner, San Diego, CA; and Heather Nicol Paxton, Kansas City, MO; one grandson, Andrew Walker Woods; and a brother, John Lane Paxton. Frank Paxton, Jr. leaves a legacy of love, courtesy, integrity, personal commitment and service.
Frank enlisted in the U.S. Army Cavalry in August, 1941. He was honorably discharged as a major in 1946 and joined the Frank Paxton Lumber Co. He founded the Chicago branch of the company in 1947. Frank returned to Kansas City when his father died unexpectedly in 1951, and he was elected President and Chief Executive Officer of the company. He served in that position from 1951 to 1988 and as Chairman of the Board from 1988 to 1990. Frank Paxton, Jr. believed that a ``true merchant'' sets the community's standards of quality, fair practice, dignity, respect for individuals' worth, and social responsibility. His business career reflects a lifelong commitment to quality and customer service. Under his leadership, the company grew to become the nation's largest distributor of hardwood lumber.
Frank served on the Board of Directors of the National Hardwood Lumber Association and was a former president of the National Wholesale Lumber Dealers Association. He initiated a successful effort to establish fair measurement practice in lumber sales. In recognition of this, the company received the Phillips Ethics Award. To better serve customers in Technology Education, Frank diversified the company and formed Paxton Patterson, which has become one of the nation's largest distributors of equipment and materials to schools. His deep commitment to the nation's youth has been recognized by a variety of industry honors nationwide.
As well as distribution-based businesses, Frank sought to develop new products to meet his customers' needs. In the Lietz Company, a Paxton subsidiary, Frank recognized that Japanese surveying instruments needed modification to meet the needs of American customers. In the early 1970s, he partnered with Sokkisha, in an innovative, co-partner product development style that has become an international business trend in the 1980s and 1990s. Frank Paxton, Jr.'s commitment to service extended beyond the business world. He worked tirelessly on behalf of education, especially for at-risk youth. He served on the board and the advisory board of De La Salle Education Center, the board of the Guadalupe Center, and was a Special Advisor to Genesis School. He was a business partner of the McCoy Traditional School in the Kansas City, MO district. He served as Treasurer of the Board of Police Commissioners from 1977 to 1981. He was the founding chairman of the Thomas Hart Benton Associates. He was a member of the Kansas City Country Club and the River Club. He shot two holes-in-one in a lifelong enjoyment of golf.
After many years of intense and enthusiastic research, he recently completed a 30-year genealogical and historical study of the Paxton family, beginning with the establishment of the family name in 12th century Scotland.
He is survived by his wife, Mildred Heath Paxton, and five children: Rebecca Louise Paxton and Lee Myers, La Jolla, CA; Marjorie Lane Paxton and her husband, Preston Jay McCall, Kansas City, MO; Frank Paxton III and his wife, Isabel Thayer Thomson Paxton, Kansas City, MO; James William Paxton and his wife, The Honorable Ann P. Winebrenner, San Diego, CA; and Heather Nicol Paxton, Kansas City, MO; one grandson, Andrew Walker Woods; and a brother, John Lane Paxton. Frank Paxton, Jr. leaves a legacy of love, courtesy, integrity, personal commitment and service.
Frank Paxton, Jr. was born November 14, 1918, in Kansas City, MO, the eldest son of Frank Paxton, Sr., founder of Frank Paxton Lumber Co., and Marjorie Lane Paxton. He began his education at William Rockhill Nelson Elementary School and spent cherished summers at Camp Sosowagaming, for which he produced a song book and directory in later years. He graduated from Paseo High School and attended the University of Washington at Seattle, where he joined the Psi Upsilon fraternity. He then went to Virginia Military Institute, following a tradition of military education set by his great-grandfather, Brig. Gen. Elisha Frank Paxton, Commander of the Stonewall Brigade, and continued by his grandfather, John Gallatin Paxton, and his father. Later in his career, he graduated from the Stanford University Executive Leadership Program.
Frank enlisted in the U.S. Army Cavalry in August, 1941. He was honorably discharged as a major in 1946 and joined the Frank Paxton Lumber Co. He founded the Chicago branch of the company in 1947. Frank returned to Kansas City when his father died unexpectedly in 1951, and he was elected President and Chief Executive Officer of the company. He served in that position from 1951 to 1988 and as Chairman of the Board from 1988 to 1990. Frank Paxton, Jr. believed that a ``true merchant'' sets the community's standards of quality, fair practice, dignity, respect for individuals' worth, and social responsibility. His business career reflects a lifelong commitment to quality and customer service. Under his leadership, the company grew to become the nation's largest distributor of hardwood lumber.
Frank served on the Board of Directors of the National Hardwood Lumber Association and was a former president of the National Wholesale Lumber Dealers Association. He initiated a successful effort to establish fair measurement practice in lumber sales. In recognition of this, the company received the Phillips Ethics Award. To better serve customers in Technology Education, Frank diversified the company and formed Paxton Patterson, which has become one of the nation's largest distributors of equipment and materials to schools. His deep commitment to the nation's youth has been recognized by a variety of industry honors nationwide.
As well as distribution-based businesses, Frank sought to develop new products to meet his customers' needs. In the Lietz Company, a Paxton subsidiary, Frank recognized that Japanese surveying instruments needed modification to meet the needs of American customers. In the early 1970s, he partnered with Sokkisha, in an innovative, co-partner product development style that has become an international business trend in the 1980s and 1990s. Frank Paxton, Jr.'s commitment to service extended beyond the business world. He worked tirelessly on behalf of education, especially for at-risk youth. He served on the board and the advisory board of De La Salle Education Center, the board of the Guadalupe Center, and was a Special Advisor to Genesis School. He was a business partner of the McCoy Traditional School in the Kansas City, MO district. He served as Treasurer of the Board of Police Commissioners from 1977 to 1981. He was the founding chairman of the Thomas Hart Benton Associates. He was a member of the Kansas City Country Club and the River Club. He shot two holes-in-one in a lifelong enjoyment of golf.
After many years of intense and enthusiastic research, he recently completed a 30-year genealogical and historical study of the Paxton family, beginning with the establishment of the family name in 12th century Scotland.
He is survived by his wife, Mildred Heath Paxton, and five children: Rebecca Louise Paxton and Lee Myers, La Jolla, CA; Marjorie Lane Paxton and her husband, Preston Jay McCall, Kansas City, MO; Frank Paxton III and his wife, Isabel Thayer Thomson Paxton, Kansas City, MO; James William Paxton and his wife, The Honorable Ann P. Winebrenner, San Diego, CA; and Heather Nicol Paxton, Kansas City, MO; one grandson, Andrew Walker Woods; and a brother, John Lane Paxton. Frank Paxton, Jr. leaves a legacy of love, courtesy, integrity, personal commitment and service.
Frank enlisted in the U.S. Army Cavalry in August, 1941. He was honorably discharged as a major in 1946 and joined the Frank Paxton Lumber Co. He founded the Chicago branch of the company in 1947. Frank returned to Kansas City when his father died unexpectedly in 1951, and he was elected President and Chief Executive Officer of the company. He served in that position from 1951 to 1988 and as Chairman of the Board from 1988 to 1990. Frank Paxton, Jr. believed that a ``true merchant'' sets the community's standards of quality, fair practice, dignity, respect for individuals' worth, and social responsibility. His business career reflects a lifelong commitment to quality and customer service. Under his leadership, the company grew to become the nation's largest distributor of hardwood lumber.
Frank served on the Board of Directors of the National Hardwood Lumber Association and was a former president of the National Wholesale Lumber Dealers Association. He initiated a successful effort to establish fair measurement practice in lumber sales. In recognition of this, the company received the Phillips Ethics Award. To better serve customers in Technology Education, Frank diversified the company and formed Paxton Patterson, which has become one of the nation's largest distributors of equipment and materials to schools. His deep commitment to the nation's youth has been recognized by a variety of industry honors nationwide.
As well as distribution-based businesses, Frank sought to develop new products to meet his customers' needs. In the Lietz Company, a Paxton subsidiary, Frank recognized that Japanese surveying instruments needed modification to meet the needs of American customers. In the early 1970s, he partnered with Sokkisha, in an innovative, co-partner product development style that has become an international business trend in the 1980s and 1990s. Frank Paxton, Jr.'s commitment to service extended beyond the business world. He worked tirelessly on behalf of education, especially for at-risk youth. He served on the board and the advisory board of De La Salle Education Center, the board of the Guadalupe Center, and was a Special Advisor to Genesis School. He was a business partner of the McCoy Traditional School in the Kansas City, MO district. He served as Treasurer of the Board of Police Commissioners from 1977 to 1981. He was the founding chairman of the Thomas Hart Benton Associates. He was a member of the Kansas City Country Club and the River Club. He shot two holes-in-one in a lifelong enjoyment of golf.
After many years of intense and enthusiastic research, he recently completed a 30-year genealogical and historical study of the Paxton family, beginning with the establishment of the family name in 12th century Scotland.
He is survived by his wife, Mildred Heath Paxton, and five children: Rebecca Louise Paxton and Lee Myers, La Jolla, CA; Marjorie Lane Paxton and her husband, Preston Jay McCall, Kansas City, MO; Frank Paxton III and his wife, Isabel Thayer Thomson Paxton, Kansas City, MO; James William Paxton and his wife, The Honorable Ann P. Winebrenner, San Diego, CA; and Heather Nicol Paxton, Kansas City, MO; one grandson, Andrew Walker Woods; and a brother, John Lane Paxton. Frank Paxton, Jr. leaves a legacy of love, courtesy, integrity, personal commitment and service.
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