Fred "Butch" Paxton, Jr.

Fred A. Paxton, Jr., better known as “Butch”, of Poyen, Arkansas, was born May 2, 1946 at Malvern, Arkansas, the son of the late Fred Alvin Paxton, Sr. and Catherine Benning Paxton Taylor. He loved The Lord and was a member of Poyen Missionary Baptist Church. He graduated from Prattsville High School in 1964 and then went to work for the Arkansas State Highway Dept. He later attended Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, and then went to work for International Paper Company in Sheridan. He proudly served in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam war as a RF-4C jet aircraft mechanic. Following his military service, he went to work for St. Louis Southwestern Railroad in Pine Bluff (later Cotton Belt). He also attended Ouachita Vo-Tech School. Ultimately he retired from the United States Department of Defense in 2008 having worked at the Pine Bluff Arsenal Chemical Equipment Maintenance Branch.

With all of his accomplishments and hard work, he always made being an amazing husband, dad, grandpa, father-in-law, brother, uncle, friend and whatever other title he had a priority. Butch truly loved to love. Whether family or friend, someone he’d known for years or someone he just met, he made everyone feel like they mattered to him, because they did. He truly cherished his family and he lived every minute of his 79 years and didn’t waste a second of it.

Mr. Paxton died Thursday, February 27, 2026 in Hot Springs, at the age of 79. Survivors include his wife and best friend, Carolyn Paxton of Poyen; daughters, Tracy Paxton of Prattsville, Tanyia and husband Mike Tarkington of Sheridan; stepdaughter, Melinda Holiman of Poyen; grandchildren, William Frizzell (Leanne) of Benton, Timmy Paxton of Poyen, Terry Paxton of Prattsville, Katie Tarkington of Sheridan; 3 great grandchildren; brothers, David and wife Marcia Paxton of Prattsville, Stuart and wife Phyllis Paxton of Sheridan, Stephen Paxton of Bryant, Joe and wife Becky Pumphrey of Prattsville; numerous nieces and nephews and many many friends.

If you knew Butch, you already know that he didn’t want any attention brought to himself. He prearranged his funeral to keep his family from being burdened having to do it. Among his wishes, was that his funeral service was to be a private, family only, service, so his family is honoring his request.

He also requested that any memorials be sent to Poyen Missionary Baptist Chuch building fund.

If anyone truly embodied this old quote, it was Butch, and it fits his life perfectly: "Life should not be a journey to the grave... but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming 'Wow! What a ride!'"