Mary Elizia (Turner) Payne

Kansan, Monday, July 22, 1940

Mary Elizia Turner, daughter of Judge and Cordie Turner, was born January 17, 1784, at Fulton, Missouri, and passed away Wednesday, July 17, 1940, at Bethel Hospital in Newton, Kansas, after an illness of several weeks. She had reached the age of 66 years and 6 months.

She was married in the summer of 1899 to George Payne a few months after his discharge from the Army, and they came from Missouri to Newton shortly afterwards and made their home here until the death of Mr. Payne in December, 1933. In 1934 Mrs. Payne, because of climatic advantages, decided to make her home in Los Angeles. She, however, returned here frequently to visit her two foster daughters, and other relatives and friends. June 16 she returned to Newton on what proved to be her last trip to visit at the home of her foster daughter, Mrs. Ross, and although not feeling well she did not take seriously ill until the following Thursday, June 20, when she was moved to Bethel Hospital, where on Thursday June 27, she underwent an operation from which she rallied but briefly. Although she was in much pain, and sank gradually, she remained cheerful, recognizing friends and relatives with her usual cheery smile even after she was to ill to greet them.

Mrs. Payne was a woman of broad sympathetic outlook, great kindness of heart, always more than eager to prove herself a friend, and there are many who will miss her deeply. Besides her church work she took an active interest in club work and any movement that made for advancement and uplift.

She leaves to mourn her passing two foster daughters: Mrs. Mentoria Ross, Newton; Mrs. Marie Lewis, Kansas City, Kansas; two step-sons, John Payne, Newton; and Cyrelius Payne, Des Moines, Iowa.

Funeral services were held Saturday July 20, at 10:30a.m. at the C. M. E. church in Newton, with the pastor Rev. A. Morris officiating. Mrs. Katherine Helm of Wichita, sang as a solo, "I've Done My Work." The church choir also sang many favorites of Mrs. Payne. They were accompanied by Miss Ruthabel Rickman at the piano. Pall bearers were John Freeman, Max McWilliams, D. D. Skelton, Luther Sims, Silas Mannon and Sam Ridley. Burial was made in the family lot in Greenwood Cemetery.