James Payton

PAYTON, Mr. James Maurice - Age 84, passed away Monday, April 18, 2011 at Forstorian Manor. Family hour 11 a.m. Saturday, April 23, 2011 at Evergreen Missionary Baptist Church, 106 E. Flint Park Blvd., with funeral service commencing at 12Noon. Rev. John Bethea officiating, Pastor Eric Marks, Sr., Host Pastor. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the church 11 a.m. Saturday. Mr. Payton will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., and may be viewed from 12Noon-8 p.m. Friday. Mr. James Maurice Payton was born February 4, 1927 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, the son of Rhea Jackson and James Payton, Sr. James attended school in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1944. James moved to Flint in 1953 and was employed with General Motors. James was a member of Evergreen Missionary Baptist Church, where he served on the Usher Board and Chairman of the Trustee Board, along with anything else asked of him. His hobbies were gardening and helping others. Mr. James M. Payton leaves to cherish his memory: wife, Patsy Payton; 2 daughters, Janis (L.T.) Bradley and Stephanie Payton, all of Flint; 2 sons, David Miller of Flint and Michael Whitfield of Detroit, MI; grandchildren, Latasha (Dewayne) Hoskins of Flint, Sharnessa McQueen of Chicago, IL, Oscar McNeal, Jr., Omar McNeal, Sharonel (Keomie) Williams, Terrance Alford and Nandraya Howell, all of Flint; 4 nieces, Christy Davis of Little Rock, AR, Sherna Armstrong of Dallas, TX, Judy (Iwekhao) Emmanuel of Arlington, TX and Venita Calloway of Arlington, TX; nephew, Wade Tavorn of Bakersville, CA; 4 cousins, James Harris, Margie Harris, John Harris and Fay (Eugene) Jewitt, all of St. Louis, MO; brother-in-law, Arthur Miller of Flint; a host of other relatives and friends including special friends, Lucille King of Toledo, OH, Polly Thomas of Detroit, MI, James Preston, Cherry Richard, Barbara Harvey and Betty Lamar. Mr. Payton was preceded in death by his mother, Rhea Larkin; father, James Payton; and stepfather, Jesse Larkin. The family would like to express special thanks to Cecelia Williams, Heartland Fostorian Nursing staff, Rev. John Bethea, Pastor Eric Marks, Sr. and the Evergreen Missionary Baptist Church family.

James Payton

February 4, 1927 - April 18, 2011