Paul Nixon’s Legacy

Paul Nixon’s legacy lives on through his community impact.

A big community presence with an even bigger heart.

The law office of Nixon Wenger LLP is a landmark in the North Okanagan. Paul Nixon was instrumental in creating, planning and constructing the office’s foundation.

Sadly, Paul passed away in November 2020, but he left behind a remarkable legacy.  Paul had a big community presence and an even bigger heart. Over the years he had a tremendous impact on the North Okanagan, not only through his law career but also through his dedication and support to the charitable sector.

In 1975, Paul, along with other members of the Vernon Rotary Club, saw the benefit of a charitable society that focused on local community needs.  Together, they fundraised an initial $1,000 donation from a like-minded colleague and created what is essentially a “community savings account”. This was the beginning of the Community Foundation North Okanagan, originally named the Vernon Benevolent Society.

Paul was a founder of the Community Foundation of the North Okanagan. He created the first constitution, and remained a board member for decades. “It’s impressive that forty-six years ago, Paul and the other Community Foundation founders had the foresight to build a renewable source of funding to support the valuable charitable work in our region,” Leanne Hammond, Executive Director, Community Foundation North Okanagan, says as she reflects on the many charitable collaborations that Paul was part of over the years.

Paul Nixon was loved and respected by all who knew him. Colleagues, clients, friends, neighbours, and most of all, his family were enriched by his warm heart and reliable wisdom. He had a genuine interest in the North Okanagan lifestyle. From boating, swimming, and snowmobiling with his children and grandchildren to tending the fields of his ginseng farm, Paul’s greatest pleasures in life were the moments he spent with those closest to him.

Paul’s deep sense of integrity and belief in community meant that he helped many organizations throughout his lifetime. He actively supported a variety of capital projects for charitable organizations and was especially passionate about supporting, the Boys and Girls Club, Community Futures, Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation, Community Foundation North Okanagan, North Okanagan Community Life Society, and Kalamalka Rotary Club.

To continue Paul’s commitment to making a difference in our community, his family, friends, and colleagues have established the Paul Nixon Youth and Community Fund, at the Community Foundation North Okanagan. We invite you to contribute to this fund created to provide grants that support the community and organizations that were close to Paul’s heart.