Paddy Buxton is a past team rector of the Rye benefice and this article will appear in the next edition of the team ministry’s magazine, The Pendulum, which Jane Orchard edits.
April 21 1933 – May 2 2023
Starting his career as a young officer in the Royal Corps of Signals, William (his real first name, but always known as Paddy) then moved to join the sales department of the international consumer goods company, Procter and Gamble (P&G). He worked first in the UK followed by Austria, Switzerland and Germany where he was appointed sales director. After 21 years with P&G he returned to the UK as director of sales and marketing Europe with the Duracell Battery Company, later taking on the responsibility of managing director, Europe.
At age 47 he responded to a long held calling to enter the church and following a two-year residential course at theological college, served a three year curacy at a church in Worthing before being appointed vicar of the small parish of Kingston Buci in West Sussex. During his time there the diocesan bishop appointed him as his personal nominee on the diocesan board of finance.
Saving Rye hospital
In due course he moved to Rye as team rector of the Rye benefice and remained there until his retirement at age 62. During his time in Rye he was appointed chairman of the board of governors for the local primary school, was an elected member of the town council (including serving two years as deputy mayor) and was part of the small team who succeeded in saving Rye Hospital from closure.
During his retirement he was active taking Sunday services in churches when no priest was temporarily available and was also appointed first as a non-executive director of the Conquest Hospital in Hastings and later as a non-executive of the combined trust with Eastbourne hospital.
After six years of service to the two trusts he was appointed to the National Nursing and Midwifery Council on which he served a further seven years. He also served on the National Biological Standards Board but resigned after two years due to his strong objection to the use of animals in the testing of drugs.
By kind invitation of the then rector, he celebrated and preached his very last service on his 80th birthday on Sunday, April 21 2013 at his old church of St Mary’s, Rye.
Paddy was very happily married to Pamela for 66 years, had three children, six grandchildren and one great-grand daughter.
Image Credits: Buxton Family .
This obituary of Paddy Buxton was in fact written by him. He sent it to me a few months ago when I was indeed editor of The Pendulum, the magazine of the Rye Team Churches.
Also, I have now retired and the new editor is Susan Desrosiers.