Obituary of Joyce Culverhouse Payne

Mrs. Joyce Culverhouse Payne passed away on May 12, 2024 at Limestone Rehab and Nursing Facility in Athens, Alabama. She was 94 years old. Funeral services will be graveside 1:00 P.M. Wednesday, May 15, 2024, at Woodlawn Memory Gardens in Ozark with Mr. Don McCall officiating. Interment will follow, Holman Funeral Home of Ozark directing. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made in her memory to the Center Ridge Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, C/O Mr. Nelson Senn, 373 County Road 241, Ariton, Alabama 36311; to Ozark Baptist Church Building Fund, 282 South Union Avenue; or your favorite charity. She was a long-time member of both churches. Mrs. Payne was born December 18, 1929 in Dothan, Alabama to the late John T. Culverhouse, Sr. and Annie Thaggard Culverhouse. She lived most her life in Dale County Alabama. Mrs. Payne received her Bachelor’s Degree from Troy State University in Elementary Education and her Master’s Degree from the University of Alabama, the School of Librarianship. She taught school for 37 years, retiring from the Carroll High School Library in 1989. She was nominated to the Teacher Hall of Fame in 1975 and selected as Elementary Teacher of the Year for Ozark in 1976. She was preceded in death by her parents, John T. Culverhouse, Sr., and Lucille Thagard Culverhouse as well as her husband of 55 years, Joe H. Payne and an infant granddaughter, Shelley E. Payne. She is also preceded in death by her brother, John Culverhouse, Jr. Mrs. Payne is survived by one son, Cary J. Payne and his wife, Lisa C. Payne of Athens, Alabama; two grandchildren, Adrian P. Zebot married to J. Ryan Zebot and Ryan J. Payne married to Chelsie Payne, all Birmingham, Alabama residents. She is also survived by four great grand-children, Joseph P. Zebot, Eva Zebot, Caroline Zebot and Lily Payne. Survivors also include her sister-in-law, Jo Culverhouse of Deatsville, Alabama and her children, Thomas Culverhouse and Dee Smith, also from Deatsville; her three special cousins, Margie McCall and Charlotte Neupauer from Ozark, Alabama, Carol Tate Bufton from Atlanta, Georgia, as well as several other dear cousins. The family wishes to thank the wonderful staff at Limestone Rehab and Nursing Facility and Affinity Hospice. We especially want to thank Betty Bolton for always being a dear friend to Joyce. .