Carol Joyce Chance

Carol Joyce Paxson Chance, 85, of Arlington, Texas, passed away on Thursday, August 25, 2022.

Carol was born on January 31, 1937, to Ralph Eugene Paxson and Letha Irene Blackmore Paxson in Pampa. She attended Pampa High School and was involved in many activities, including serving as a piano accompanist for numerous events. She was voted Most Talented and crowned Oil Progress Queen.

After graduating high school in 1955, she went on to study Secondary Education, as well as piano and organ, at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. She was also a member and officer of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. It was during her college breaks when she returned home to visit family that she met her future husband, Scott Gene Chance, at the Pampa Country Club pool where he was a lifeguard.

After graduation from TCU in 1959, she earned her first job as an English teacher in Dallas ISD, the beginning of a 30+ year career in Education. She also married her husband, Scott Gene Chance, that same year, and bought their first home in Grand Prairie, Texas. She continued playing the organ and piano for their church for many years, teaching English, raising children and supporting Gene’s career advancement, moving to Dallas, Denison, Port Lavaca, Liberty, and finally Arlington, Texas. She retired from teaching in 1995 from Lancaster ISD and they were married for 59 years until his death in 2018.

Carol was a member of First Christian Church of Arlington where she had served as organist for many years. Her favorite holiday was Easter and she enjoyed performing in the grand celebrations the church led such as Palm Sunday, Easter Sunday, Hanging of the Greens, and Christmas services. She enjoyed the friendships with her church family, but health issues caused her to relinquish her seat on the organ.

Carol was preceded in death by her parents Ralph and Irene Paxson, sister Helen Jean Casey, brother-in-law George Casey, nephew George Patrick Casey, and her husband, Scott Gene Chance. She is survived by her daughters, Camille Porter (Clay) of Denton, Texas and Laura Demby (John) of Arlington, Texas, grandchildren Cameron Hopkins (Misty) of Grand Prairie, Texas, Caitlyn Hopkins Anderson (Austin) of Willow Park, Texas, and Payton Porter King-Walker (Josh) of Fort Drum, New York, and great-grandchildren Tyler Gene Hopkins, Beau Paxson Hopkins, and Zola Rae King-Walker, as well as many other loving relatives and friends.

A visitation will not be held, but a graveside committal service will occur on Saturday, October 8, 2022 at noon 12:00PM at Moore Memorial Gardens, 1219 North Davis Drive, Arlington, TX 76012. Memorials can be made in honor of Carol J. Chance at First Christian Church, Arlington,

Texas.