Gilbert Payne

Gilbert Dale Payne, 87, went home to be a fisherman for the Lord May 18, 2023, surrounded by his family at Texoma Medical Center in Sherman.

Family visitation will be Wednesday, May 24, at Riley Funeral Home from 4 to 6 p.m. A celebration of Gilbert’s life will be held at Riley Funeral Home at 2 p.m. Thursday, May 25, with burial in Evergreen Cemetery.

Gilbert was born in Valley Mills on Aug. 13, 1935, to Charlie Arthur Payne and Louisa Laura (Brandon) Payne. He attended school in Jonesboro.

Gilbert married Vera Faye (Whaley) Payne on Oct. 9, 1954. He was a resident of Caddo, Oklahoma.

He was a member of Blue River Fellowship Church in Caddo. He loved talking to all the little kids at church and showing them how he could pull his thumb off. They were always amazed, and he would show them how to do it.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Vera; parents Charlie and Lula Payne; brothers Charles Stifflemire, Gene Payne and Donald (Duck) Payne; and sister Mamie Smythe.

He is survived by his chilto dren, Faye and Billy Boydstun of Caddo, and Sue Keefer of Durant, Oklahoma; grandchildren Chris and Lori Boydstun of Tahlequah, Oklahoma; Mark and Melissa Boydstun of Durant, Wesly and Jessica Keefer of Waxahachie and Craig Keefer of Austin; great-grandchildren Mackenzie, Colby, Miley, John, Ashtyn, Sawyer, Noah and Saydee; his brother, Jimmy and Connie Payne of Hamilton; sisters Billie Jo Suggs of Tyler, Louise (Tooter) and Jerry Poole of Jonesboro and Peggy and Bill Johnson of Runaway Bay; and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, please honor Gilbert’s memory with donations to the Evergreen Cemetery, 315 FM 217 W, Jonesboro, TX 76538, or the Building Fund of Blue River Fellowship Church, PO Box 481, Caddo, OK 74729.