Retah E. Payne

I, Retah E. Payne was born July 16, 1934 in Sherman County, TX, at the height of the great dust storms and the depression. Good hard working parents kept me and my brother Harold safe and we always had food and heat during the roughest of times. As I look back on my life, I have so much to be thankful for I have been blessed to have a wonderful husband, Burleigh, of nearly 60 years. The first time he kissed me I know he was the one, and it has always remained so. Our love has never waned and has only grown more steady and strong as the years have gone by. We had wonderful children who have gained their own goals for themselves and have good lives and wonderful children of their own. Burleigh and I made the Lord the Lord of our lives in 1975. That put us on a journey that has been the happiest and most fulfilling time of our lives. Even though we have failed at times in our walk, we know that God still loves us. Sometimes we wondered how He could, but the word says He does and we have to believe His word no matter what. Through good times and bad, He was always our mainstay and comforted us at every turn. Our lives have been full, and the memories are precious. Retah was preceded in death by her parients, Charles and Hazel Cameron, step-mother Hazel Cameron, brother Harold, son Harold Lloyd and grandson, Christopher Turner. Surviving children are Alvin (Becky) Payne, Linda (Bob) Hoffman, Serena (Dewayne) Eiler and Barbara (Tim) Turner. Grandchildren are Bill Payne (Alvin), Eric Hoffman and Sara Landis (Linda), Crystal Elliott and Jennifer Eiler (Serena) and Rachel Gilliland, Rebecca Fitzgerald, Joseph Turner and Hannah Turner (Barbara). Great Grand children are Porter Landis and Emmett Payne Landis (Linda), Jordan Eiler and Joseph Eiler: Stephanie Elliott and Adam Elliott (Serena) and Austin Gilliland and Amanda Gilliland; and Ellie Fitzgerald (Barbara).