Yvonne “PINKY” Paxton passed away peacefully at her home in Selah on April 28, 2013 with her loving pooch Emma by her side. Affectionately referred to as “GG Emma” by her great grandson Cohen, Pinky was a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt and a loyal friend to many in the Selah community where she was a lifelong resident.
Pinky was born Yvonne Bernice Zaworski on January 17, 1935 in Yakima, WA. She graduated from Yakima High School in 1953 and then attended the Yakima Business School. Pinky married her high school sweetheart, Ken and they had four beautiful children together. Pinky worked at Paxton Sales for 25 years as Vice President of the Corporation and bookkeeper. Pinky was proud of her honorary PHTS degree (Putting Hubby through School) while her husband Ken attended WSU. She and Ken enjoyed many summers at the Yakima Ridge Runner Jeep bowl and they started the Yakima Ski Bender Club in the 60’s.
In 1988 Pinky began a new path of recovery. She had just celebrated 25 years of sobriety on April 3. She loved recovery and the friends and relationships that developed through the journey. She was very grateful for the new life it had given her and the many blessings that came to follow. In this journey she developed a personal relationship with God, a relationship that brought her comfort, courage and peace. She just tried to keep it simple.
In 1989 she went to work at J.M. Perry Technical Institute as a book keeper and secretary for the board until retirement in 2006. She loved working for Jay and she loved her job and all of her co-workers. To her they were family.
Pinky was always very involved in the Selah community. She was a Cub Scout den mother, Madam President of the Selah Eagles, a member of the Selah Community Days planning committee. She especially loved Selah Community Days which gave her the opportunity to serve Selah by working on the floats, selling tickets for raffles and T shirts, organizing the pancake feed and supporting the Miss Selah contest. She felt most helpful in her role as a service member of the Kiwanis where she had served as treasurer, secretary, Lt Governor and president. She loved the Kiwanis service purpose and the focus being on kids in the community who were given opportunities by their efforts.
Pinky was an amazing example of how to love. She never met a stranger and made lasting friends everywhere she went. Being the spunky person she was…
If you have ever looked up the word Patriot in the dictionary, the name Pinky Paxton should be included in the definition. She was proud of her military and of her family members who served to protect our freedoms. She enjoyed honoring the Firing Center Base Commander while in Kiwanis, attending the military balls and dressing in red, white and blue during Selah Community Days and on Independence Day.
She always had a flag up and if you had one, she would remind you to make sure you had a light on it at night.
Pinky loved her Cougars football. She loved everything cougars and proudly wore her Cougar shirts and jackets any time of the year. She watched all the publicized college football games and was ready to discuss them at a moments notice.
Pinky was preceded in death by her mother Edith, and her son Kenny.
Pinky is survived by her children Kevin (Jennifer & Abbie) of Yakima, Rick (Renee) of Lake Havasu, AZ, daughter Shereen Hunt (Brian) of Selah, daughters in law Kari Sterns, and Sheila Miller, Grandchildren Tyler Paxton of Ellensburg, Brandon Hunt (Magda) of Selah, Jared Hunt (Jenni) of Selah, Kelly Robbins of Yakima, Cassie Robbins of Seattle, Kayla Emineth of Kennewick, great grandsons Cohen and Kellen Hunt, Sister Darlene Green (Fred) of Yakima, sister in law Sherry Reid (Jim) of Lacey, Aunt Lee Maddox of Pullman, many nieces, nephews and her special friend Karen Johnson.
Viewing will be on Sunday May 5th from noon to 5 PM at Keith and Keith. A graveside service will be held at the Terrace Heights Memorial Park, Monday May 6th at 1:00 PM followed by a celebration of life at the Selah Civic Center. Please bring your favorite dish (Pinky loved potlucks).
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations may be made to the Selah Kiwanis or Sundown M. Ranch. Keith and Keith Funeral Home is in charge of services. To share a memory visit www.keithandkeith.com.
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