Dr. Jay A. Buxton

Jay A. Buxton, After 96 amazing years of blessing his family and all who knew him with peace, humility and wisdom, Dr. Jay A. Buxton died on Oct. 13, 2015. He is survived by his second wife, Elda Buxton; by his three children, John “Tex” Buxton, Rebecca Buxton and Cynthia Buxton; and two stepdaughters, Priscilla Greene and Jennifer Geisler. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Miya Buxton, Lisa Leonard Jackson, Douglas Leonard, Matt O’Bryant and Kate Geisler; and by four great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his first wife, Audrey Elaine Kennedy, in 1972. The son of the late Selby G. Buxton and Edith McNary Buxton, Jay was born in Italy on May 29, 1919, spending most of his childhood on a farm near Warsaw, Ohio. In March 1942, he was drafted to serve in World War II and served in the Eighth Air Force in combat duty as a Tail Gunner on a B-17 type bomber. He was honorably discharged in 1945, having received the EAME with 3 Bronze Stars and the Air Medal. He received a B.S. Degree in Biology from Southwest Texas State Teachers’ College, a M.A. Degree in Zoology from the University of Texas and a Ph.D. in Entomology from the Ohio State University. He spent his professional career in Pesticide Research and as a college professor of the Biological Sciences. He taught four years at Texas A&I College, six years at Clemson University and then 20 years at Catawba College as Chairman of the Department of Biology. Active in the United Methodist church and in civic organizations such as Kiwanis, the Community Council, and Boy Scouts of America, Jay most recently attended the Asylum Hill Congregational Church in Hartford, Conn. He participated in countless building projects sponsored by his church throughout the years. Gifted at working with plants, he designed and maintained the perennial and annual gardens at Trinity Oaks in Salisbury and managed the resident gardens at The McAuley in West Hartford, Conn. A born teacher, whether in the classroom or walking through the woods with friends, Jay was known for his kindness, his keen intellect and his delight in living. He was an amazing man inside and out. He loved God, he loved his family and he loved bugs and flowers. Arrangements: The family will greet friends in the Fellowship Hall of the First United Methodist Church, 217 S. Church St., Salisbury, NC, at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, 2015. A memorial service will follow at 3 p.m. in the sanctuary. Memorials: In lieu of flowers, gifts may be sent to First United Methodist Church, 217 S. Church St., Salisbury, NC 28144 or Catawba College, 2300 W. Innes St., Salisbury, NC 28144.

Dr. Jay A. Buxton

May 29, 1919 - October 13, 2015