Ada Lea (Cunningham) Payton

Ada Lea Payton of St James passed away Tuesday morning November 24, 2020 at the St James Living Center following a lengthy illness. She was 63 years of age.

She was born January 15, 1957 at Rolla, MO the daughter of the late James Robert and Violet Jane Grotpeter Cunningham.

On October 12, 1991 in St James, MO, Ada was united in marriage to Everett Ray Payton.

Survivors include her husband Everett of St. James, MO, one son Robert Dempsey Payton of St. James, MO, one brother Dale Cunningham and wife Michelle of Conroe, TX. She is further survived by many nieces and nephews.

Ada is preceded in death by her parents and two brothers Gene and Ray Allen Cunningham.

Ada was a very sweet and caring person, who had a heart of gold, she was always ready to stop and talk and always was interested in the person she was talking to and had a smile and a chuckle. She was tender hearted and a very loving person. She loved her family and loved to worship at the Solid Rock Christian Church. She worked as a secretary at the Rolla Hospital for over 12 years and worked in the Kitchen at the hospital for over 10 years. She loved to play board games and cards, and enjoyed reading books. Ada enjoyed collection angles and appreciated the therapeutic value of viewing all the different kinds of angels she had in her collection. Not many people have suffered the illness that she had and keep the good attitude that she had, but her focus was on things above and not upon the things of this earth. She will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Ada Payton will lie in state on Sunday November 29, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. at the Jones Funeral Home in St James, MO.

Funeral Service will be conducted Sunday November 29, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. at the Jones Funeral Home in St James, MO with Craig Rippy officiating. Burial will be next to her parents at the Kinder Cemetery in Cuba, MO. Serving as pallbearers will be John Grotha, Rick Huizinga, Doug Daniel, Mike Doyle, Alan Wynn and Randy Underwood. Memorials may be given to the Jones Funeral Home in St. James, MO.

All arrangements are under the direction of the Jones Funeral Home in St. James, MO.

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