Visitation for Mary Payton will be held Saturday, Jan. 28 9:30-11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Emmetsburg. Funeral service will be Jan. 28 at 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Emmetsburg. The Rev. Lana Williams will officiate. Interment will be at Evergreen Cemetary in Emmetsburg. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be sent to Emmetsburg Senior Center.
Mary “Sis” Frances (Halstead) Payton, 98, passed away on Jan. 5, 2023, after a brief stay in the hospital. Mary was born on March 14, 1924 to Ernest Halstead, Sr. and Hilda (Warda) Halstead.
She was united in marriage to Ralph William Payton on Sept. 9, 1942. Together, they raised three sons and one daughter. Mary worked as a telephone operator during World War II. Later, she worked at Bob’s Diner. When Ralph retired, they opened an antique and used furniture store, The Bay Window, and enjoyed all their travels collecting items for their store.
Mary spent a number of years volunteering at the Senior Center in Emmetsburg. Mary loved spending time working in the garden and tending to her many plants both inside and outside her beloved longtime home in Emmetsburg. She also greatly enjoyed spending time with her family and her many valued friends, neighbors, and members of her community, especially her lifelong friend and sister-in-law, Darlene Moser.
Mary and Ralph enjoyed camping with their grandchildren (those little pills) and taking road trips with them to visit Jim and family in Illinois. She loved to do puzzles and play Rummikub, to cook and bake, as well as spend time at the Emmetsburg Senior Center.
She is survived by her sister, Jean “Toots” (Halstead) Rancatore; her children, Richard “Dick” Payton of Emmetsburg, Robert “Bob” Payton and his wife, Lynell, of Green Valley, Arizona, and Mary Jean (Payton) Curtis of Polk City, Iowa; her grandchildren, Jamie, Jessica, Marshall, Alyssa, Shawn, Kyle, Collin, Erin, and Ariel; fourteen great-grandchildren, and three great-great grandchildren, along with many cherished in-laws, extended family and close friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph, her eldest son, James “Jim”, her sister, Nancy (Halstead) Lackore, and her brother, Ernest “Sonny” Halstead, Jr.
Arrangements were made by Martin-Mattice Funeral Home.
Condolences can be left at
www.martinmattice
funeralhome.com
