Elsie Virginia (Paxton) Vincent

Elsie Virginia (Paxton) Vincent passed away peacefully on May 26, 2024 surrounded by family members; she was 102 years old. Mrs. Vincent leaves behind 3 children: Don O’Connor, Trish Shelton (Danny) and Pam McCarthy. She has 4 grandchildren: Crew, Joshua, Maya, and Alice as well as several great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Vincent was born in Coachella, California on April 27, 1922. She graduated from the California School for the Deaf, Berkeley in 1942. She held various positions as a keypunch operator, working for the FBI and the IRS as a claims investigator. She was recognized by the IRS for having successfully uncovering a couple of large fraudulent claims that resulted in the arrests of the violators.

Elsie lived most of her life in California where she was very active in the Deaf community, namely the Los Angeles Deaf Club, where she held various official positions including President. She relocated 17 years ago to Morganton, NC, where she also was very active in the Deaf club and the AARP Deaf Chapter, serving as its President. Elsie loved to travel and has visited every state in the country.

Elise was a light in this world, showing everyone she came in contact with that being deaf was not a handicap. She was a vibrant, tell-it-like-it-is woman who many looked up to and admired. She lived a wonderful life, enjoying every minute she could. She will be missed by many—our lives are a little dimmer now with her passing.

There will be a celebration of life Sunday, June 9 from 1-3 p.m. Please contact the family for the location.

Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting the family with the arrangements.