Orval A. Paxson

Orval A. Paxson of Venice, FL, passed away on April 29, 2026, in Venice, FL, at Sarasota Memorial Hospital at the age of 94. Memorial visitation will be held from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at Vandemore Funeral Home & Crematory-Geneseo Chapel. Private family graveside services will follow at Oakwood Cemetery, Geneseo.

Orval was born April 16, 1932, to Goldie (Phillips) Paxson and Orval C. Paxson in Fairfield, Iowa.

He moved to Geneseo, IL, in 1946 and graduated from Geneseo High School in 1950. He married his high school sweetheart, Mary Alice Torreyson, on August 12, 1951, in Geneseo, and raised their family there. Mary is and always will be the love of his life, best friend, and best partner a man could ever have.

Orval was an Assistant Superintendent of Highways in Henry County, 1952 - 1965, and Engineer for Foster Excavating in Rock Island, 1965 - 1970. He then owned Allied Excavators in East Moline along with his son Richard O. Paxson until 1988, when he and Mary moved to Venice, FL. He worked for Dean's Contracting in Venice until retiring at age 62. He was a pilot, having their own plane in Illinois, always very interested in flying. They also had cruisers on the Mississippi River. He was a Mason, a lifetime member and past master. He was a member of the Elks, Eagles, and Legion.  He was also a lifetime member of the Moose and VFW.

Orval is survived by his wife Mary, daughter Cindy (Bruce) Walters of Geneseo, 2 sons Richard (Wendy) Paxson of Moline and David (Lori) Paxson of Brighton, MI; grandchildren Ben (Eugenia) Walters of Madison, WI, Patrick (Kasha) Walters of Auburn, AL, Ian (Athena) Walters of Auburn, AL, Sara (Scott) Munts of Moline, Andrew (Tara Leaf) Paxson of Moline, Ryan (Lauren) Paxson of Grand Rapids, MI, Jacob (Jenny Hayden) Paxson of Webberville, MI and Joseph Paxson of Warren, MI; 9 great grandchildren, Kilian, Tanner, Gemma, Christos, Reva, Stella, Kaia, Josephine, Caroline and Hutson, and 1 great-great grandchild Solidus.

He was preceded in death by his parents, daughter in infancy, Rebecca, sons, Russell Paxson and Jeffrey

Paxson, and his sister, Janet DeBlieck.