In Loving Memory
Mary F. Payton
March 14, 1924 - January 5, 2023

Mary's funeral service will be live streamed on the Martin Mattice Funeral Home Facebook page.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be sent to Emmetsburg Senior Center.

VISITATION
Saturday, January 28, 2023
9:30 - 11:00 A.M.
First United Methodist Church
Emmetsburg, Iowa

SERVICE
Saturday, January 28, 2023
11:00 A.M.
First United Methodist Church
Emmetsburg, Iowa

CLERGY
Rev. Lana Williams

INTERMENT
Evergreen Cemetery
Emmetsburg, Iowa

Mary "Sis" Frances (Halstead) Payton, 98, passed away on January 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 September 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, Iowa. 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 by Martin-Mattice Funeral Home