BENTON — Paul J. Baxley,

72, of Benton, died on February 15, 2020. He was born on March 1, 1947, in Little Rock to the late Lewis and Margaret Baxley.

He is survived by his wife, Terry Baxley of Benton; son, Paul L. Baxley (Wendy) of Boise, Idaho; daughter, Rebekah Bennett (Chris) of Benton; three grandchildren, Jesse Bennett, Abby Bennett and Georgia Baxley; brothers, David Baxley (Julie) of Frisco, Texas and Danny Baxley (Jody) of Berlin, Maryland; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews; close friends, Bob and Sheila Stobaugh; dear friends and colleagues, Allan and Linda Hatch; many other friends & longtime colleagues and his beloved dog, Oscar.

Paul spent his life in the medical profession starting as an orderly in North Little Rock then attending UAMS to become a physician practicing in Batesville, Ark., Scott and White Clinic in Temple, Texas and in Benton, Ark. for the last 20 plus years of his career. He was a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians, Fellow of Society of Cardiac Angiography and Intervention, Fellow of the American Heart Association, Fellow of the American College of Physicians and Fellow of the American College of Cardiology. Paul was board certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine and Nuclear Medicine. He was the first non-surgical specialist in the Batesville area as well as serving on many boards and committees at White River Medical Center. Paul spent 5 years as an associate professor at Scott and White Clinic in Texas and returned to Arkansas to be closer to his children and extended family. He then settled in Benton in 1995, opening the first full-time cardiology clinic in Saline County. In association with Saline Memorial Hospital, he was instrumental in opening the cardiac cath lab and a dedicated 8 bed cardiac step-down unit.

Being in medicine and then becoming a physician was his dream and became his life’s work. He enjoyed his patients and their families getting to know them and care for them. Paul loved to teach and share his knowledge. In his spare time, he enjoyed spending time with his family, writing poetry and was working on a book.

A visitation to celebrate his life will be 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, February 22 at Ashby Funeral Home in Benton, Ark. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Arkansas Alzheimer’s Association or the American Heart Association. On-line guest book at www.ashbyfuneralhome.com.