Gordon Royace Payne

On Saturday, June 24, 2023, Gordon Royace Payne passed away, missing his 90th birthday by three months. Most of those years were filled with dogged determination and independence.

Gordon was born Sept. 22, 1933, in Fort Worth to Clyde and Cleo Staudt Payne. Cleo died at age 27, shortly after Gordon was born, leaving his dad to raise him. With help from his aunt and uncle, Katie (Kathleen) and William (Bill), whom he later named his children after, he graduated from Sunset High School.

After high school, Gordon joined the United States Marine Corp during the Korean Conflict and saw action overseas. All the training and discipline set the stage for his future career path. Gordon was discharged with the rank of sergeant.

Securing a job with the postal service, Gordon met his future wife, Peggy, while delivering mail to the café where she was working. Gordon and Peggy married and started their lives together. Still newlyweds, Gordon attended the Texas Department of Public Safety academy, where he graduated in 1956. His first assignment as a trooper was in Decatur, where his children were born. He was later transferred to Gainesville, before moving to Mexia in 1968. Gordon was promoted to sergeant and oversaw the troopers in Limestone, Freestone and Falls Counties. He passed up several promotions that required moving over the years to provide a stable environment to raise his family. Retiring in 1992, the chief of the DPS was quoted as saying “Gordon Payne is an icon in his field.” Old school and no no-nonsense Gordon was not easy to work for, but his men respected him and learned many valuable lessons along the way.

After retirement, he pursued his passion of competitive pistol shooting. He was well known in the shooting circles as a true marksman. A perfectionist in his hobby, he loaded his own ammunition and modified his guns to his liking.

Gordon also enjoyed coin collecting, reading and studying history and for a time helping his daughter in the monument business.

Gordon was a member of First Baptist Church in Mexia.

In the last few years, he enjoyed driving to Decatur to visit his lady friend, Peggy. They spent many happy hours together and maintained telephone contact up until the last few days.

Car dealers will remember Gordon for his regular visits to buy that next new car.

Gordon was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Peggy Joyce Payne; and daughter, Patricia Ann Payne.

He is survived by his son, William R. “Bill” Payne and wife Sheri; daughter, Kathleen Stubbs and husband John; grandchildren, John Sims Stubbs III, “Trey” and wife Samantha, Collin Forrest Stubbs and wife Nicole, Tyler Lyon and wife Olivia and Morgan Payne; great-grandchildren, Vada, Jack, Kylie and Korie.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 27, at the Blair-Stubbs Funeral Home chapel with Dennis Wilson officiating. Interment will follow in the Mexia cemetery with Military Honors. Pallbearers will be Sonny Adams, Ira Mathison, Brad Butler, Bob Allen, Tyler Lyon and Scott Condon.

Please visit www.blairstubbs. com to leave a message of condolence or sign the guestbook.