LEESBURG – Sonja Faye Paxton, 65, of Leesburg, died Sept. 22, 2011, at her Leesburg home, surrounded by her loving family. She was born Oct. 6, 1945, in Leewood, W. Va., to Marvin Earl and Josie Mae Oiler Meadows. On Aug. 28, 1965, in Leewood, W. Va., she married Pastor Gary M. Paxton, Leesburg, who survives. She worked as a Nursing Assistant at Grace Village in Winona Lake. She attended East Bank High School and Ivy Tech Community College. She worked alongside her husband, the pastor of the Church of Jesus Christ, Warsaw. She enjoyed music and was the church’s song leader. She spent her life lovingly caring for her family, church family and friends. She loved reading and studying the Bible, cake decorating and nursing. Surviving are two daughters: Rebecca Vance and Julia (and spouse Wayne) Radford, all of Leesburg; three brothers, Billy and Sebert Meadows, both of Merrillville; and Raymond Meadows, Charleston, W.Va.; a sister, Isaleah (and spouse Gary) Goodwin, Charleston, W.Va.; seven grandchildren, John Michael (and fiance Shane Carpenter) Vance, Claypool; Beth (and spouse Thomas) Gilbert Barrus, Warsaw; Jennifer Marie Vance, Leesburg; Anthony Wayne Gilbert, (and fiance Johannah Davis), Marion; Timothy Earl Gilbert, Warsaw; and Nicole Radford, Lafayette; and two great-grandsons, Constantine and Landon. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Beth Elaine Paxton; and a grandson, Kevin Gilbert, Jr. Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Titus Funeral Home, Warsaw, with Pastor Gary M. Paxton officiating. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery. Calling is from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. ***** Memorials may be made To The Family, c/o Gary Paxton, PO Box 705, Warsaw, IN, 46581-0705. Condolences may be sent via www.titusfuneralhome.com
