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Judge Monroe Paxman
& Shirley Brockbank Paxman
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BYH Parents,
Community Leaders,
& Ultimate Brigham Young Supporters
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Distinguished Honorary Alumni
of Brigham Young High School
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By Laura Bird
April 10, 2007
BYU News Net
Monroe and Shirley Paxman, both 88 in 2007, attend six to eight events on campus each week. They remain physically and mentally active both on and off BYU campus.
Monroe and Shirley Paxman walk to BYU's campus multiple times a week from downtown Provo to attend the activities at the Kennedy Center, the library and Harris Fine Arts Center, just to learn and be around the students.
As members of a long family line of BYU graduates themselves, the Paxman's have quite a heritage with the BYU community.
For many students, the Paxman's have become familiar faces as they attend six to eight events on campus each week. The walk from 200 North may not be a big deal to the average campus visitor, but the Paxman's are 88 years old.
"[Coming to campus] keeps us healthy - physically and mentally and spiritually," said Monroe Paxman, a Provo native and BYU graduate.
Spiritually, the Paxman's said it is the environment that lifts them. The walking is good for them physically, but they feel the students give them what they need mentally.
"You see all those young people and get inspired," said Shirley Paxman, who started school in first grade at Brigham Young Academy and continued through to her master's at BYU.
Physically, the Paxman's stay strong from their many trips to BYU events. Along with on-campus activities, this couple even hiked to Y Mountain one year ago.
"I asked Shirley what she wanted for Mother's Day and she said she wanted to hike the Y, so we did," Monroe Paxman said. "It's a great place to be."
On campus, the Paxman's continue to sharpen their minds as well. At the age of 85, Monroe Paxman began watercolor classes and has become quite the artist, Shirley Paxman said.
The Paxman's have been involved with much of the progress of Provo and the BYU community. Monroe Paxman was a member of the high council of the first BYU stake. As a retired judge, he also taught international law on campus.
Shirley Paxman has been influential in preserving Provo and the old Brigham Young Academy to what is now known as the Provo City Library. She spent 25 years saving the historic building by dedicating her time petitioning the city.
"Shirley was the little old lady that stood in front to keep the city from tearing the building down," Monroe Paxman said.
The Paxman's encourage all students to continue to learn and be actively involved. Many couples their age are no longer sharp because they watch too much TV, they said.
"I'd have to quote Theodore Roosevelt who said the happiest people are those who touch life in its greatest number of points." Shirley Paxman said. "We try to touch life in a lot of dimensions."
One of the dimensions that the Paxman's touch is a scholarship fund set up with Shirley's family to assist young South African LDS women attend college. This year they have 71 students attending school.
"We're educating a lot of wonderful women," Shirley Paxman said. "I have wonderful pictures and we keep in touch with them."
The Paxman's don't just affect students; professors also recognize their familiar presence. Dean Hughes, a creative writing professor in the English Department, said he first got to know the Paxman's because of a doll museum they had in their home with over 4,000 dolls. Even after they closed the museum, Hughes said he sees them everywhere.
"They know everybody and everybody knows them," Hughes said. "[They go to] anything they know they'll enjoy, and they enjoy everything."
Last year during the English Reading Series, Hughes said students and guests were invited to share their bad poetry and Monroe Paxman even got up and told his own.
"I've never heard them say they were sorry for coming [to an event]," Hughes said. "They are interested in everything."
The Paxman's said that they would go to anything on campus; they just enjoy learning and feel blessed to be able to do so.
"I go [to campus] because of the rewarding experience of learning things and hearing other peoples' ideas," Monroe Paxman said. "It's very much enjoyable. It's pure joy."
Source: BYU NewsNet
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Although Monroe and Shirley Paxman did not attend BY High School, many of their children did. They did not teach at BYH, except by good example.
They performed an instrumental role in saving the Brigham Young Academy building. "We grieved about it [the Brigham Young Academy block] being sold. I wrote lots of letters," remembers Shirley. "And when the lawn and trees were dying, my husband, Monroe, repaired the sprinkling system and we paid the water bill. For 25 years I've worked with every mayor and developer." Their leadership and perseverance have once again made the historic Academy Square a revered Provo landmark.
Shirley Brockbank Paxman received her B.S. and M.S. from BYU in Child Development and Family Relations. She received her R.N. from Holy Cross Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. She taught Child Development at BYU and Nursing at Utah Valley State College, until 1979, when she left to help open the McCurdy Historical Doll Museum.
The Paxmans are lifelong Provo residents. Monroe Paxman was a judge in 4th District Juvenile Court. He is a nationally prominent authority on juvenile court problems. He has taught many classes at BYU. He received BYU's Abraham O. Smoot Public Service Award.
"When I recognize someone, I have to think twice about saying anything," he once said. "The context may be from my former courtroom, and some folks don't want to recognized for that."
Monroe and Shirley Paxman have co-authored numerous magazine articles and several books.
In 1942, Shirley married Monroe J. Paxman, who became a Juvenile Court Judge in Provo, Utah. They have seven children and twenty-four grandchildren.
Shirley Paxman is an active member of the LDS Church and has served in all the Church auxiliary programs as teacher and officer. She served as a member of the Provo School Board for eight years and as Vice-President of the Brigham Young Academy Foundation for 20 years. She describes herself as a feminist and activist for just causes.
Provo Mayor Lewis K. Billings commended Monroe and Shirley Paxman for their efforts in preserving Provo City and its historic central area.
Their Books:
Monroe and Shirley Paxman, Homespun: Domestic Arts & Crafts of Mormon Pioneers, Deseret Book, 1976.
To Bed to Bed the Doctor Said, by Shirley Paxman and Monroe Paxman.
Family Night Fun, by Shirley and Monroe Paxman.
Where Nothing is Long Ago: Memories of Virginia Sorensen Waugh, 1995, by Shirley Paxman.
Party Patterns With Gaiety Guaranteed: A Book of Complete Party Plans for Adults and Teens, by Shirley and Monroe Paxman, Publisher: Salt Lake City, UT Deseret Book Company, 1961.
Monroe J. Paxman married Shirley Ann Brockbank in 1942. Their children include:1) John Monroe PAXMAN [BYH Class of 1962] was born in 1943.
2) Carolyn PAXMAN [BYH Class of 1963] was born in 1945. [She married Marion T. Bentley, BYH Class of 1963.]
3) David Brockbank PAXMAN was born in 1946.
4) Nancy PAXMAN [BYH Class of 1966~H] was born in 1948.
5) Annette PAXMAN [BYH Class of 1970] was born in 1952. [She married Scott Bowen, BYH Class of 1966.]
6) Mary Ruth PAXMAN was born in 1954.
7) Susan Kay PAXMAN was born in 1956.
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Recent Note from
Monroe and Shirley Paxman
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We greatly enjoyed all of the student activities while our children were at BYH: assemblies, dances, school elections, students visiting our home, with their lively enthusiasm and good humor.
We admired and appreciated the faculty and their good influences on our children: Fae Buttle's challenging students to do their best; Anna Boss Hart's gentle acceptance; Fred Webb's wonderful choirs; Max Golightly's dynamic dramas; Frank Arnold's winning strut, and losing anger; Jed Gibson's encouragement and expertise; Alex Darais' quiet art creativity.
Since we lived nearby, many students dropped by for a cookie or sandwich -- Mary Ellen Hales, Kent Bunker, Ruth Halladay, Newt Andrus, Alec Andrus, and of course, Marion Bentley, who married our daughter Carolyn -- parents of four of our 32 grandchildren.
BYH was a major source of fun, entertainment, and yes, stress as our children faced frustrations, tests, rejections, elections, tryouts and grades. Often at public events BYH grads approach us and recall the good old days. We thank all BYH'ers for the good memories.
-- October 2007
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