Payton Austin Sturts

If you had the chance to meet Payton you would agree that he had such an infectious smile that no matter how you were feeling then you couldn’t help but smile back. He was one of a kind and a lot of people that met him or knew him would attest to that.

A 2022 graduate of Lucas High School and 2022 graduate of Pioneer Career and Technology Center where he took Precision Machining competing at Regionals in Skills USA both Junior and Senior years winning silver medals both years.

He was employed at the family business, Sturts Builders, and could read blueprints and operate equipment at a very young age. One of the hardest working kids, during Covid at the age of 15 he would make sure all his online school work was done first thing in the morning and then go work with his Dad. At that time his job might had only been to man the fire hose to keep the dust and debris down during demolition, but he was proud of the job he was doing. His love for the business showed as a few years later his responsibilities shifted to being on big job sites without his Dad. Reading blueprints and figuring out all the new high tech technology on the equipment was his strong suit and I think everyone relied on that.

He was an old soul who was kind, caring and smart beyond his years who loved being surrounded by family and friends.

Payton loved working whether it was with his father at the family business or tinkering in the garage forging knives he designed, wood working, metal detecting, or creating some invention he might have thought up.

Payton took great pride in the work he did most recently completing renovations of his first home, but also at work going over what needed done on the job site with his Dad every morning to make sure what he was doing that day on the job would be right and calling every night after work to tell him what all they got done that day.

He loved traveling with family and friends, especially going on razor rides where he became his Mom’s chauffeur. Taking riding trips with family and friends to West Virginia, Colorado and Wyoming. His love for snow grew as he first started skiing at the age of three. Snowboarding was his favorite and a lot of times he could be found making his own jumps in the front yard of his family home. He looked forward to the annual spring break ski trips to Colorado where he would snowboard with his Dad, Grandpa and sister. The bond his sister Chloe and him shared was like no other anyone has seen. Every night he would stop in her bedroom before going to bed to just sit and talk to her about her day or throw his socks on her ceiling fan to see if they would land on her.

He will be deeply missed by his parents, Jeremy and Monica Sturts; sister, Chloe Sturts; grandparents, Reggie and Laurie Sturts of Mansfield, Deb Kirkpatrick and Terry Stevens of Bellville, Robert Kirkpatrick and Mary Hay of Columbus; Uncle Ben Kirkpatrick of Mansfield, Aunt Lisa and Denny Baker of Bellville, Aunt Sarah and Joe King of Mansfield; cousins, McKenzie Baker, Wyatt Baker, Parker King, Braylee and Cohen Sturts; Great Grandma, Margaretta Kirkpatrick of Butler; best friends, Hunter, Bradley, Jimmy, Noah and Kohler of Lucas and family friends that were like his younger siblings, Addi and Kason Pittman, Olivia, Zoe and Gunner Norris and Rebekah and Leah Case as well as numerous family and friends.

He was preceded in death by great grandmother, Josephine Leech, great grandfather, W.E. Kirkpatrick, great grandparents, Wayne and Dwan Sturts, great grandfather, Earl Hershey; and family friend, Skip Fueston

The family invites family, friends and anyone who knew Payton to a celebration of life Saturday June 10, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at Sturts Builders, 781 5th Avenue, Mansfield, Ohio.

Advantage Funeral and Cremation Services by Wappner is honored to serve the family.