Hazel I. Paxton, 89, of North Platte, and formerly of Stapleton, died Dec. 2, 2008, at Linden Court.

She was born to Lucius A. and Florence (Black) Tupper, in Riverton, Neb., on April 18, 1919.

She grew up in the Ringgold area and graduated from Tryon High School in 1938, and then she went on to Kearney Teacher’s College and taught school for 2 years at a North Ringgold School.

She married Victor Paxton in Ogallala on Oct. 5, 1940, in Ogallala. They started out in Thomas County south of Seneca for 4 years, then to McPherson County where they remained until 2004, when they moved to North Platte.

She enjoyed attending her grandchildren’s activities; she also loved working in her garden and raising flowers; and her embroidering. She was also known as an excellent cook.

Survivors include her daughter, Shirley (Russell) Eggers of North Platte; sons, Ronald (Linda) Paxton of Stapleton and Larry (Laurie) Paxton of Sanford, Texas; a sister, Fay Connell of Stapleton; a brother, Kermit Paxton of Stapleton; grandchildren, Arlan (Sarah) Paxton, Dana (Ethan) Epley, Dustin (Mindy) Paxton, Susanne (Nathan) Lukas, Kristen (Bo) Uhrmacher, and Amanda, Tom and Alex Paxton; 14 great grandchildren, Alecia, Jess, and Jade Paxton, Cole, Hayden, Hallie, and Emma Epley, Aubrey, Molly, Eli and Peyton Paxton, Cassidy, Carter and Chloe Lukas.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Victor; grandson, Steven Schaffert; and a brother, Lyle Tupper.

Joy Ellen Carpenter, 86, died Nov. 15, 2008, at Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff.

She was born at Whitman, Neb., on Sept. 30, 1922, to William and Myrtle (Costerisan) Taylor. She graduated from the Nebraska School of Agriculture at Curtis on April 14, 1940.

On Nov. 23, 1940, she was united in marriage to George Donnen Carpenter.

She was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, American Legion Auxiliary Unit No. 7 and a former member of the B.P.O. Does. She worked for many years as a LPN at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

Survivors include her daughter, Tonchita (Merlin) Ring of Hyannis; grandchildren, Shonda and Mark Sheets of Alliance, Mitzi and Peter Lenz of Lincoln, and Merla and Jerry Heuertz of Andover, Kan.; great-grandchildren, Erin Lenz, Tyler Lenz, Jaden, Jalyn and Jevon Heuertz and Kayla Sheets; sister, Bernice “Bunny” Jacobs of Mullen and nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Don; brothers, Woodrow Taylor and Billy Taylor and her sister, June Magnuson.

Joseph James Dodson, 84, died Nov. 15, 2008 at Centennial Park Retirement Village, where he resided since Feb., 2006.

He was born Nov. 21, 1923, in Lexington, the third of eight children born to Thomas George Dodson and Mary Cecilia Power. He grew up in North Platte, attending McDaid and St. Patrick Catholic schools. His first job was for the North Platte Bulletin as a newspaper carrier while in high school. In 1930 he stayed back a grade after a bout with scarlet fever which required a quarantine, making him a year older than most of his classmates. At the end of his junior year of high school, June 1943, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and never actually finished high school. His mother accepted his high school diploma, in May of 1945, while he was serving in the South Pacific.

He served as a Staff Sgt. with the 158th Regimental Combat Infantry, Cos. J and I. They were called the ‘Bushmasters’ an Arizona National Guard unit, made up of Navajo code talkers. His major battles and campaigns in the South Pacific were the Bismarck, Archipelago, New Guinea and Luzon. In October of 1945 he landed in Yokohama, Japan then in January 1946, he returned to North Platte. He received a Bronze Star in 2006, 63 years after General MacArthur had promised it to the men, for their valor in action in the Philippines. He visited the WWII memorial in Washington DC in 2004 with his six sons where he was reunited with Gene Revis, a fellow soldier that he had not seen since January 1946.

He worked with his father and brothers as a house mover on his return from the war.

He courted and married Gloria Monica Simmons a St. Patrick’s graduate of 1946. They were married in Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Sutherland on Nov. 29, 1947, and celebrated 56 years together.

He became an employee of the UPRR, where he worked as a switchman and brakeman for the next 43 years. He also was known, for his tree trimming and firewood business. In 1952, he built the family home in North Platte where they raised 10 children. It is a home and yard full of wonderful memories of family, neighbors, and friends.

He served in the Nebraska National Guard Army Reserve. Was a lifetime member of the American Legion. A member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church for many years, a 4th Degree Knight in the Knights of Columbus Council #1211, in later years, a member of St. Elizabeth Anne Seton Catholic Church. He was an avid supporter of St. Patrick Catholic schools, having seen all 10 of his kids graduate from his Alma Mater.

He was very devoted to his family, church, and his country.

Survivors include four daughters, Shari (Gerry) Kraus of Ogallala, Cathy (Karl) Grover of Great Bend, Kan., Denise (Kevin) Burbach of North Platte, and Carol (Silver) Palomino of Vail, Ariz.; six sons, Mike Dodson of North Platte, Niles (Suzy) Dodson of North Platte, Dr. Kent (Lois) Dodson of Lincoln, Pat (Rhonda) Dodson of Lincoln, Tim (Guisela) Dodson of Tustin, Calif., and Paul (Hillary) Dodson of Lincoln; 27 grandchildren; six great grandchildren; three brothers, Jim , Don and Fritz Dodson of North Platte; a sister, Darlene Peters of North Platte; a step-sister Rosella Huether of North Platte; six sisters-in-law Sister Shirley Ann Simmons OSU of Ogallala, Jane, Shirley, Marybeth and Marlene Dodson all of North Platte, MaryAnn Carlson of Phoenix, Ariz.; and brother-in-law, Niles Simmons, of Wallace.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his step-mother, Anna Abel Dodson; his wife, Gloria; three brothers, George “Bud”, Bill and Tom Dodson all of North Platte; two sisters-in-law, Norma Dodson of North Platte and Joan Simmons of Wallace; brother-in-law, John Simmons of Sutherland; and step-brother, George Abel of North Platte.