Mace Fortune Payne

Funeral services for Mace Fortune Payne, 78, of Sperry, were held Saturday, December 4, 2010 in the Sperry High School Auditorium in Sperry, OK. Reverend Andy Anquoe officiated and the obituary was read by Reverend Don Queen. Burial was in Ridgelawn Cemetery in Collinsville, OK. Casket bearers were Randy Pope, Jeff Young, Caleb Jernigan, Eric Payne, Justin Payne, Terry Prentice, and Ron Howard. Honorary casket bearers were Gerald Cypert, Rusty Hanes, Ed Boyd, Dante Pope, Bill Fisher, Kyle Chenault, Nelson Plummer, Gary Pinson, Larry Carter, and Al King.

Mace was born January 5, 1932 in Pawhuska, OK to Louie and Mabel (Fortune) Payne. He passed away December 1, 2010 in Owasso, OK.

Mace attended Carter 9 and Shidler Schools until moving to Sperry in the 1940’s. He graduated from Sperry High School in 1949. He was the Outstanding Sperry High School Alumnus in 1993. He graduated from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah in 1953.

Mace married Mary Ann St. John on February 21, 1952 and they have been married for 58 years.

Mace was a long-time employee of Fortune’s Furniture Company in Sperry. He also worked many years for the Oklahoma State Employment Service (Workforce Oklahoma) and was always an appliance repairman.

He has been a member of First Baptist Church of Sperry for over 60 years. He is also a charter member of First Baptist Church of Owasso.

He was loved by many and will be missed by all.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Mary Ann (St. John) Payne of the home; sons, David Mace Payne and wife Sandy of Ponca City and Lewis Brent Payne and wife Kari of Claremore; grandchildren, Eric David Payne and wife Becky of Broken Arrow, Deanna Janelle (Payne) Pope and husband Randy of Owasso, Natalie Rhuenae (Payne) Young and husband Jeff of Claremore, Brittni Ann (Payne) Jernigan and husband Caleb of Owasso, Justin Brent Payne of Claremore, Les Taylor of Tulsa, and Cindi Gormly and husband Michael of Okemah; great-grandchildren, Sierra Dawn Peak, Dante Xavier Pope, Grace Ann Pope, Campbell Olivia Payne, Conleigh Elithia Payne, Christiana Amore Martinez, Colson William Jernigan, Cooper Reid Young, Carson Brent Young, Dakota Gormly, Taylor Gormly, and Montana Gormly; sisters, Anna Butler and family of Ponca City and Toots and Sam Willcoxson and family of Omaha, NE; cousins, Judy (Fortune) Cobb and family of Tulsa, Francis and Mary Fortune and family of Kaw City, OK, Earlene Clare and family of Wichita, KS, and Sheryl Killough and family of Wichita, KS; and many other relatives and friends.

He is also survived by his horse Ted and hundreds of washers, dryers, and refrigerators that got to spend time with Mace over the years.

He was preceded in death by his son, Hollis Dean Payne; parents, Louie and Mabel Payne; sister, Penny Payne; and grandparents, Mace Fortune and Allie Mae (Terry) Fortune.

Arrangements and services were entrusted to Johnson Funeral Home, Sperry.

Online condolences to the family can be made at johnsonfhsperry.com.