CEDARTOWN, Ga. — Mr. Murray Bernard Payton, 105, of Cedartown, Ga. and formerly of Valley, Ala. passed away on Thursday, May 3, 2018. He was born on March 23, 1913 in Glenlock, Georgia. He was the son of the late William Walter and Beuna Estella Worley Payton.

Mr. Payton is survived by his daughters and sons-in-law, Carole P. and Jerry Buttrum and Cathy P. and Larry McCutchen; grandchildren, Matt and Leah Jackson, Michael and Carissa Dehner, Joey and Carla Ellis, Caron Buttrum; nine great-grandchildren, Jerrod and Kira Ellis, Chance and Caroline Ellis Woosley, Isabelle Dehner, Alyssa Payton Dehner, Ian Dehner, Helena Denton and Paul Mattingly, and several nieces and nephews.

Mr. Payton was preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Frances Crews Payton; second wife, Helen Yates Payton; four brothers, Rufus, Elvis, Lynell, and Wayne Payton and one sister, Mozelle Ussery.

Mr. Payton was a WWII veteran, having served in the U.S. Navy on the USS Portland.

He and his wife, Frances Crews, were owners of Payton Dry Cleaners in LaGrange, Ga. A few years after her untimely death, he married Helen Yates and moved to Valley, Ala., where they owned and operated Payton’s Dry Cleaning and Laundry until their retirement. After Helen’s death in 2008, he moved to Cedartown, Ga. to live with his daughter and son-in-law, Jerry and Carole Buttrum. In 2016, he joined the community at Big Springs Place Assisted Living in Cedartown where he enjoyed the daily activities and loved the staff and residents.

Mr. Payton enjoyed his hobby of rose gardening, at one time having over 100 bushes of prize winning roses that he loved to share with family, friends, and his church. He also enjoyed making, giving away, and eating his homemade preserves and jellies that he faithfully did each year and for which he was well known.

Mr. Payton was a member of First Baptist Church in Shawmut. After moving to Cedartown, he attended Calvary Assembly of God where his son-in-law is pastor. Being the oldest, he became known as Granddaddy to all there. The love and support shown to him there  made him feel loved, important, and at home until the end of his amazing life.

The funeral arrangements for Mr. Murray Bernard Payton will be conducted on Tuesday, May 8, 2018 at eleven o’clock in the morning in the chapel of the Gammage Funeral Home with Dr. Jerry Buttrum, Rev. Carla Ellis and Rev. Joey Ellis officiating.

Interment will follow on Tuesday, May 8, 2018 at four o’clock in the afternoon in the Hillview Cemetery in LaGrange, Ga. Full Military Rites will be conducted by Fort Benning Military Guard.

The family of Mr. Payton will receive family and friends on Monday, May 7, 2018 from seven o’clock in the evening until nine o’clock in the evening at the Gammage Funeral Home in Cedartown.

Messages of condolence can be made to the family by visiting our website and signing the online guestbook at gammagefh.com.

The Olin L. Gammage and Sons Funeral Home is handling the arrangements for Mr. Murray Bernard Payton.