Mabel Payton, 86 year old former Woodward resident, died Friday, February 19, 2010 in Ft. Worth, Texas. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, February 26, 2010 at the Billings Funeral Home Chapel with her son-in-law, Dr. Norman Henry and the Reverend Mike Murray officiating. Interment will be in the Elmwood Cemetery.
Mabel Arlene (Weisshaar) Payton was born to Fred and Mayme Weisshaar on July 12, 1923 on the family farm north of Turpin, Oklahoma, where she lived until her marriage to Olin Van Payton. She attended Turpin schools, where she graduated in 1941. On March 15, 1942, Mabel was united in marriage to Olin Van Payton at the Cedar Springs Church of the Nazarene parsonage just before Sunday School on a Sunday morning. Only immediate family was present. Olin’s parents, Reverend and Mrs. Van Payton performed the ceremony. Also attending were Olin’s brother Chester, sister Mrs. Don Oyler and her daughter Anita Mae, grandfather Abe Plumlee, niece, Margie and her father, Fred Weisshaar, and sister and husband Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Rahenkamp. To this union three daughters were born; Carolyn, Ruth, and Jean. The young couple made their first home on a dairy farm north of Hooker, before Olin accepted a job with Ideal Food Stores. He worked in the warehouse, the store and drove a delivery truck.
In 1951, Olin answered God’s call to preach and the family moved to Bethany. In 1953, he received a call to pastor the Kingman, Kansas Church of the Nazarene. Olin was ordained as an Elder in the Church of the Nazarene in 1955. Through the years God called Olin and Mabel to pastor numerous churches in Kingman, Udall, Sunnyside, and Hugoton, Kansas also in Monte Vista and Manzanola, Colorado and in Fairview and Fargo. After his retirement Olin was called back to pastor the Fargo Church until his death. Olin was a faithful minister of Gods word, holding fast the doctrine of Heart Holiness, and Mabel was always standing faithfully by his side.
Mabel enjoyed the activities of the church, the family vacation trips to Colorado, times spent with her children and grandchildren, sewing and crocheting.
Mabel was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Olin Van Payton, her sister and one daughter Jean Slocum.
She is survived by two daughters, Carolyn English of Fort Worth, Texas with whom she has made her home since her husbands death, Ruth and Norman Henry of Nashville, Tennessee; a son-in-law Duane Slocum; seven grandchildren and their spouses, Beth and Tony Swink of Kingman, Kansas, Shawn and Kim English of Enid, Trevor and Barbara English of Amarillo, Texas, Travis and Lori Henry of Waxahachie, Texas, Kimberly and Adam Davis of Oklahoma City, Tricia and Matt Arens of Lees Summit, Missouri, Jeff and Phoung Slocum of Phoenix, Arizona; eleven great-grandchildren, one great-great grandchild; several nieces, nephews and friends.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Gideon Memorial Bible Fund with the funeral home accepting the contributions.