Obituary for Gerald Payton
Funeral services for Mr. Gerald R. Payton, 61, will be held Saturday, February 29, 2020 at 2 p.m. at North Groesbeck Church of Christ with Rob Hicks officiating. Burial will follow in Childress Cemetery under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home. Visitation will be held Friday, February 28, 2020 from 6-8 p.m. at Johnson Funeral home.
He went home to the Lord on Sunday, February 23, 2020 at his home in Amarillo after a brief illness.
He entered this world at Electra Hospital on February 12, 1959 in Electra to Leonard (Bill) and Mary Payton of Harrold, Texas. He graduated from Burkburnett High School in 1977 and furthered his education at Texas Tech University. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture Education in 1982. He married Tresia Jones on December 14, 1984 in Childress and together they raised two children, Eric Payton and Gennifer Payton-Baston. He served as an Ag teacher in Duke, Oklahoma and Childress High School until 1991. He always looked to make an impact on his students and enjoyed teaching them skills they could use throughout their lives. After his teaching career, he served as the Director of Panhandle Community Services (PCS) for 19 years. He began a career with Sears after his time at PCS.
He served many years with the Amarillo North Chapter of the Lions Club and served as the President of the Club. He served alongside a lot of people with the Amarillo Area SuperKids Classic. What he enjoyed most was getting to help people, spending time with the love of his life and his grandchildren. He loved spending time watching his grandchildren compete in their athletic careers. He also loved flying RC airplanes, computers, fishing and hunting. He had a deep love for Tresia’s coconut pie and Coca-Cola. He was a former member of the Childress Church of Christ.
He was preceded in death by by his parents; a brother, Danny Payton; a sister, Karon McLain; an uncle, Arthur Payton; an aunt, Norma Payton; an uncle Marvin Payton; an aunt, Thelma Payton; an uncle, Clarence Payton, an aunt, Fanny Payton; his in-laws, Dorothy and Clarence Jones and numerous other family members.
Survivors include his wife, Tresia, of Amarillo; daughter, Gennifer Baston and husband, Odelle of Stratford; a son, Eric Payton of Amarillo; grandchildren Kheona Baston, Richard Baston, Trystin Baston and Kamia Baston of Stratford and Trinity Payton of Amarillo; a sister, Teresa Pennartz and husband, Jerry, of Harrold; brother-in-law Jerry McLain of Vernon; sister-in-law Lynne Payton of Wichita Falls and many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers the family would like memorials be made to the Rheumatoid Arthritis Foundation or the American Diabetes Association.
He went home to the Lord on Sunday, February 23, 2020 at his home in Amarillo after a brief illness.
He entered this world at Electra Hospital on February 12, 1959 in Electra to Leonard (Bill) and Mary Payton of Harrold, Texas. He graduated from Burkburnett High School in 1977 and furthered his education at Texas Tech University. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture Education in 1982. He married Tresia Jones on December 14, 1984 in Childress and together they raised two children, Eric Payton and Gennifer Payton-Baston. He served as an Ag teacher in Duke, Oklahoma and Childress High School until 1991. He always looked to make an impact on his students and enjoyed teaching them skills they could use throughout their lives. After his teaching career, he served as the Director of Panhandle Community Services (PCS) for 19 years. He began a career with Sears after his time at PCS.
He served many years with the Amarillo North Chapter of the Lions Club and served as the President of the Club. He served alongside a lot of people with the Amarillo Area SuperKids Classic. What he enjoyed most was getting to help people, spending time with the love of his life and his grandchildren. He loved spending time watching his grandchildren compete in their athletic careers. He also loved flying RC airplanes, computers, fishing and hunting. He had a deep love for Tresia’s coconut pie and Coca-Cola. He was a former member of the Childress Church of Christ.
He was preceded in death by by his parents; a brother, Danny Payton; a sister, Karon McLain; an uncle, Arthur Payton; an aunt, Norma Payton; an uncle Marvin Payton; an aunt, Thelma Payton; an uncle, Clarence Payton, an aunt, Fanny Payton; his in-laws, Dorothy and Clarence Jones and numerous other family members.
Survivors include his wife, Tresia, of Amarillo; daughter, Gennifer Baston and husband, Odelle of Stratford; a son, Eric Payton of Amarillo; grandchildren Kheona Baston, Richard Baston, Trystin Baston and Kamia Baston of Stratford and Trinity Payton of Amarillo; a sister, Teresa Pennartz and husband, Jerry, of Harrold; brother-in-law Jerry McLain of Vernon; sister-in-law Lynne Payton of Wichita Falls and many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers the family would like memorials be made to the Rheumatoid Arthritis Foundation or the American Diabetes Association.