Sports enthusiast, outdoor lover, adventurous cook, talented photographer, and world traveler, Paul Dewey Thaxton, age 72, passed away on October 17, 2023.  He was born April 7, 1951, to SGM Bill Thaxton (US Army retired) of Roseville, Michigan and Dewell (Haugland) Thaxton of McCaskill, Arkansas. He lived a full life and had many unique experiences including swimming in the Yellow Sea and seeing the tulip farms in Holland.  He visited the Colosseum in Rome and attended church services conducted by Pope Paul VI in St. Peter's Basilica.  He flew in hot air balloons, hitchhiked multiple times along the east coast, and drove across the US on a motorcycle.

Growing up in an Army family, Paul saw the world.  He was educated in Tokyo, Japan; Seoul, Republic of Korea; and in 1969, he graduated high school in Heidelberg, Germany.  Paul served in the Army after graduation and was honorably discharged in 1976.  In the Army, he trained in respiratory care and x-ray technology.  After discharge, he moved to Malvern with the intention of attending Nuclear Medicine Technology school.  He worked as a plumber and served the area for a number of years before attending UAMS for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.  He received his Bachelor of Science with Honors and his Master's Degree with Honors in Educational Technology.  Paul worked in healthcare for 34 years and retired as the Director of the Nuclear Medicine Technology Program at UAMS.

Paul earned many accolades in his professional career.  He served as the president of Nuclear Medicine Technologists of Arkansas and he was appointed by the Governor to the Arkansas Medical Ionizing Radiation Licensure Committee.  He was the lead developer of the UAMS online program for Nuclear Medicine and would act as a site visitor for the Joint Review Committee to help facilities gain national accreditation.

Paul played sports throughout adolescence and was the 1968 All Conference Offensive End.  His team won the 1968 European American High School football championship and the 1969 European American High School basketball championship.  He played golf as an adult and spent many Tuesday nights bowling in his team league in later years.  He earned a couple of plaques on the wall at Enterprise Lanes in Benton for his perfect 300 games.  He bonded with his children over their shared love of sports and was very active in their sports endeavors as well.  You could always find him scoring baseball games for his son and cheering on his daughter when she played.  He acted as a catcher countless times as Dylan practiced his pitching skills.  In his later years, his love spilled over into following the sports of his grandchildren.  He was never prouder than while watching his grandchildren in their respective activities, be it soccer, baseball, dance, or watching plays.

Paul enjoyed photography and traveled the US taking pictures of scenery that intrigued him.  He loved hiking and even spent one accidental night in the woods, warmed by pine straw when he got turned around.  His kids made him promise never to do that again!  Paul visited 38 states, Japan, Republic of Korea, and seven European countries. His favorite cities to visit were London and Rome.  He loved reminiscing about Germany and dreamt of returning one day.  Paul visited many National Parks and enjoyed traveling to all 52 Arkansas State Parks. In his later years, he joined Jessica's family on camping trips around the state.  He enjoyed cooking for the family, especially on camping trips, and always came up with unique dessert concoctions with which to spoil the kids.

Paul considered his family as his greatest success in life.  Though a man of few words, he never hesitated to express love or pride when it came to his children.  His children and grandchildren were his favorite topics to discuss and his favorite people to shop for.  He treated them to surprise candy deliveries in the mailbox and loved to get t-shirts that had inside jokes on them.  Despite health struggles, he always kept a positive outlook on life and looked forward to what was to come. He was much loved by his family and will be greatly missed.

Paul was preceded in death by his father, Bill, and is survived by his mother, Dewell. He is also survived by his children and their spouses, whom he loved as his own: Dylan and Mary Thaxton of Hot Springs and Jared and Jessica Wiley of Benton.  Also left to honor his memory are his beloved grandchildren Jenna and Pike Thaxton and Denton, Delia, Dinah, and Delta Wiley.

Paul is also survived by his siblings Deborah Frazier of St. Paul, MN, Edward Thaxton (Lynda) of Hope, AR, and Kathleen (Steve) Turner of McCaskill, AR and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and their children as well.

In your honor, Dad, we'll take the backroads home, we'll sip a Diet Pepsi, and we promise to keep our passwords secure and sufficiently complex.

There will be a visitation at Regency Funeral Home in Malvern on Wednesday, October 25 from 6-8 pm.  A graveside service with military honors will be held for the family at a later date.

Paul asked that donations be made to the Gary Sinise Foundation in lieu of flowers.

Arrangements made by Regency Funeral Home. Guestbook, regencyfuneralhome.com