Monroe Paxman was born on April 7, 1919 to Achsa Eggerston Paxman and William Monroe Paxman. In 1942, he married Shirley Brockbank. They have seven children. Paxman received his JD from the University of Utah and served as a judge on the 4th District Juvenile Court from 1953 to 1969. He taught at Brigham Young University beginning in 1984, where he was awarded the Abraham O. Smoot Award. Paxman helped to run the McCurdy Historical Doll Museum with his wife for twenty-five years. He was also instrumental in saving Provo's Academy Square.

Shirley Brockbank Paxman was born in 1919. In 1942, she married Monroe Paxman. Paxman got her B.S. and M.S. from Brigham Young University in Child Development and Family Relations. She later received her R.N. from Holy Cross Hospital in Salt Lake City. She taught Child Development at Brigham Young University for many years and Nursing at Utah Valley State College. She opened the McCurdy Historical Doll Museum and ran it for many years. Paxman was instrumental in protecting Academy Square.