ON MARCH 14,1943, FORMER DISTRICT MISSIONARY LETTIE BARNES PAYNE WAS BORN TO THE LATE PASTOR GEORGE AND OTILLA GLISTER WILSON IN TIMPSON, TEXAS.

SHE ATTENDED TIMPSON, LOGANSPORT, AND SILSBEE SCHOOLS. AFTER MOVING TO TYLER SHE ATTENDED. EMMETT J. SCOTT and COMMERCIAL COLLEGE.

AT AN EARLY AGE MOTHER PAYNE WAS SAVED, SANCTIFIED, AND FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST AND BAPTIZED UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF HER FATHER ELDER GEORGE WILSON IN SILSBEE, TEXAS. AFTER MOVING TO TYLER SHE JOINED THE ROSEDALE COGIC UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF SUPERINTENDENT LIONEL ROBERTSON.

SHE WAS UNITED IN HOLY MATRIMONY TO LONZO BARNES, JULY 11, 1959, TO THIS UNION THREE BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS WERE BORN.

MOTHER BARNES PAYNE HELPED HER HUSBAND ELDER LONZO BARNES SETUP STREET SERVICES DOWNTOWN AND TENT SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE EAST TEXAS AREA. WHEN ELDER LONZO BARNES WAS CALLED TO BECOME A PASTOR UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF SUPERINTENDENT W. B. HOUSTON. THEY BOTH AGREED TO FOLD UP THE TENT AND BECAME THE PASTOR OF THE JONES VALLEY CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST. SHE WAS A FAITHFUL PASTOR'S WIFE AND WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING TO BUILD UP JONES VALLEY COGIC. SHE ENJOYED SELLING WATKINS PRODUCTS AND SERVING PLATE DINNERS TO BUILD A NEW CHURCH.

MOTHER BARNES PAYNE SERVED IN THE MINEOLA DISTRICT WOMEN DEPARTMENT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THEN SUPERINTENDENT W.B. HOUSTON AND DISTRICT MISSIONARY BOBBIE MITCHELL. SHE SERVED AS THE WOMEN DEPARTMENT SECRETARY AND COORDINATOR OF THE YOUNG MISSIONARY HOUR.

AFTER THE EARLY PASSING OF THE LOVE OF HER LIFE ELDER LONZO BARNES ON OCTOBER 19, 1981 SHE CONTINUED TO SERVE AS A FAITHFUL MEMBER OF THE JONES VALLEY CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF DR. DAVID R. HOUSTON. SHE WAS ONE OF THE CORNER STONE MEMBERS WHEN THE NEW CHURCH WAS BUILT.

MOTHER BARNES PAYNE MET AND LATER MARRIED THE ELDER JOHN SIMON PAYNE OF FT.WORTH, TEXAS. SHE THEN BECAME THE FIRST LADY OF CHATTAM CHAPEL COGIC in MALONE, TEXAS. SHE SERVED FAITHFULLY ON THE ANNIVERSARY COMMITTEE FOR MANY YEARS. SHE WOULD PREPARE POTATO SALAD SMOKE ALL THE MEAT AND PREPARE ALL THE VEGETABLES. PEOPLE WOULD COME TO THAT ANNIVERSARY SERVICE JUST TO EAT HER FAMOUS "POUND CAKE".

MOTHER PAYNE TRAVELED EXTENSIVELY THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES TO ATTEND THE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS IN MEMPHIS, ORLANDO,  TAMPA, ST.LOUIS, DETROIT, CALIFORNIA, NEW ORLEANS, ALABAMA, ATLANTA, VIRGINIA, JUST TO NAME A FEW FOR OVER 50 YEARS.

AFTER THE DEMISE OF THE LATE PASTOR JOHN SIMON PAYNE SHE RETURNED HOME TO BE CLOSER TO HER TWO DAUGHTERS AND THEIR FAMILIES. MOTHER BARNES-PAYNE JOINED THE LIVING THE WORD MINISTRY COGIC UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF HER SON SUPERINTENDENT LARRY JOHNIGAN. MOTHER BARNES PAYNE SERVED ON THE PASTOR AIDE, COMMUNION STAFF, TRUSTEE, SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER, ANNIVERSARY COMMITTEE AND BOARD OF DIRECTOR. SHE SERVED FAITHFULLY UNTIL HER HEALTH WOULD NOT ALLOW HER PHYSICALLY TO COME TO THE CHURCH.

SHE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HER PARENTS: GEORGE AND OTILLA WILSON, 1 DAUGHTER: LINDA BARNES -ERVIN,  6 BROTHERS: GEORGE, LEWIS, CHARLES, JOE, KENNETH, BOBBY WILSON,  4 SISTERS: WILLIE HUDSON, ORA LEE JACKSON, ALICE SCOTT, VERA WILSON.

SHE LEAVES TO CHERISH HER MEMORIES 2 DAUGHTERS: EVANGELIST VERONICA BARNES- JOHNIGAN (SUPERINTENDENT LARRY), DR. SONJA YVETTE BARNES-WARREN (MARLOS) OF TYLER, TX , 8 GRANDCHILDREN: ANDREA JOHNIGAN, LONZO BARNES, MONICA JOHNIGAN, JAMIE ERVIN, APRIL JOHNIGAN-JORDAN (BRANDON) Henderson, TX, JERMAINE ERVIN, MARLOS WARREN ll (ASHANTE), JEREMY WARREN all of TYLER, TX.

16 GREAT GRANDCHILDREN: LYNDREA, UNDREA, DESTINY, SYDNEY, MARIYAH, NAHAGENY, RASHAD, AMAYA FAYE, KAMERYN, LARRY, KAYDENCE, MARLOS III, KARRIGAN, KENDALL, EVELYN (2) SPECIAL FURRY GRANDCHILDREN: BELLA JOHNIGAN & TIPPY WARREN

4 SISTERS: DORA GILDER (SILSBEE, TX), MAHALIA LITTLEJOHN (JESSIE), MIRIAN PINKERTON, MARGARET WILSON ALL OF TYLER, TX

1 BROTHER: MINISTER JAMES WILSON (SILSBEE, TX)

HOST OF NIECES, NEPHEWS, COUSINS, AND FRIENDS.

TWO SPECIAL FAMILY MEMBERS & CAREGIVERS: DIAN SEATON and AMY MARTINEZ