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."



Copyright Brigham Young University 10 Apr 2007