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Aubrey Williams Payton

Aubrey Williams Payton was welcomed into the arms of her Savior surrounded by loving family. Aubrey was born in Columbiana to Mr. Aubrey Williams and Lexie Isbell Williams.

Aubrey was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 54 years, Howard Vernon Payton, Sr.; her son, Robert Gerald Payton of Houston, Texas; and her sister, Doris Bolton of Columbiana.

She is survived by sons, Howard V. Payton, Jr (Billie), Benjamin Lawrence Payton (Cindy) and Robert’s wife, Helen; and five granddaughters, Stephanie Bounds (Houston), Paige Stone (Montgomery), Shannon White (Augusta), Kimberly Coleman (Birmingham), and Amanda Napier (New York City). She also left behind nine great grandchildren whom she called the “pride of her life”. She loved and prayed for each one of them by name: Payton, Tyler, Sydney, Mark, Kelsey, Rachel, Lauren, Christian and Luke.

Aubrey was a great believer in education graduating from Shelby County High School and much later graduating Summa cum laude with both B.S. and a Master’s degrees in education from Samford University.

Aubrey was a “people person”, she never met a stranger and loved all she met. She had the gift of hospitality, loved to entertain in her home as she and her best friend of fifty years Lib Hicks Mays worked together to “set a fine table” for many teas and other special church events.

Aubrey and Howard loved to travel and upon retirement caravanned in their motorhome with a large group of friends visiting all forty-eight contiguous states. Aubrey was active in her children’s lives and many other’s as an elementary school teacher for over thirty years. She taught at Mineral Springs, Gardendale, and Shades Mountain Elementary Schools.

Aubrey was a Sunday School teacher of young girls at Acipco Baptist Church and then of mature women at Shades Mountain Baptist Church where she was also active in WMU and was one of the founding members of the Senior Choir there.

Her last years were spent at Town Village Retirement Community where she brightened the lives of many residents and staff with her always positive and happy outlook on life.

Aubrey out survived so many of her lifelong friends and family, but she continued to care for others as an encourager and was a faithful servant of the Lord.

The visitation will be from 10-11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 12 at Shades Mountain Baptist Church. The funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. with Dr. Charles Carter and Dr. Danny Wood officiating. Bolton Funeral Home is directing.