Mary Alice Parker Payne, 86, of Las Cruces, NM, passed away Thursday, May 18th, 2023. Mary was a loving daughter of George William (Bill) Parker II and Alice Amelia Schultz Parker.
At a school dance in 1956, Mary met the love of her life, John (Bud) Howard Payne (predeceased), and married him shortly after. Due to Bud’s Naval career, they raised their three children (Micki Sue Payne Pullen, Mike Allan Payne (predeceased), and Mark Howard Payne) all over the country, and even in Bermuda. As one of the original working moms, Mary primarily worked as a waitress until Bud retired from the Navy. Once they settled in the Las Cruces area, Mary started a new career working at Sunland Park Racetrack for 20 years. In addition to her love of Westerns, Mary’s greatest joy was in being a grandmother and great-grandmother. Her kids and grandkids fondly remember her delicious desserts.
She is survived by two children, five grandchildren (Donald Payne, Melissa Payne Joyce, Matthew Payne, Chandra Payne Davis, and Shiloh Payne), and ten great-grandchildren (Jessica Payne, Jayden Joyce, Jaelynn Payne, Jayme Payne, Thomas Payne, Piper Joyce, Charles Davis, Molly Davis, Raymond Joyce, and Grayson Payne).
The memorial service will be held in Mary’s hometown of Beaver, OK. In lieu of flowers please donate to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, https://www.stjude.org.
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