Margaret "Peggy" Lafaye Payne Leinar

Peggy “Faye” passed away in the early morning hours of October 11 at The Overlook Senior Living Community in Monroe, GA. This had been her temporary home since she suffered a stroke in July. Before that, she had been blessed with few ailments throughout her life.

She was born in Berrien County to Tommy and Stella Payne. She lived on a farm in Irwin County into young adulthood and would later retire to the farm. She graduated from Irwin County High School in 1954, then attended ABAC, where she received a degree in Secretarial Science. She began her career at Irwin EMC and later retired from Cobb EMC as an executive secretary.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 43 years, Jerry Leinar; two partners who blessed her life, Chuck Simpson and Allie Holt; and her daughter, Denise Lewis Ring. She is survived by her sister, Maxie Goff of Albany; two daughters, Anna Moates (Ken) of Hull, GA, and Paula Garrett of Tucker, GA; six grandchildren, Zach Moates (Jordyn), Kelly Moates (Hana), Robbie Mitchell, Sam Henrich, Stella Garrett, and Nora Garrett; three great-grandchildren, Lennon Paige (Kelly), Camden (Zach), and Murphy Faye (Kelly); and a niece, Marti Yelverton, and a nephew, Walter Goff.

Depending on when and where you met her determined the name you knew her by: Margaret, Peggy, Lafaye, or simply Faye. She answered to all of them.

She was funny and fiercely independent. If you knew her, you knew she loved playing cards and board games, working on puzzles, cross-stitching, reading, and working in her yard. She made the best peanut brittle, loved a good thrift shop, and enjoyed playing the nickel slot machines.

Recently, she was asked what she would like her obituary to say. Her response was, “I was born, I lived, I died.” She was a no-frills kind of person and lived her life as such. She loved watching the birds at her feeders and was known to say, “What a beautiful day, thank you, Lord.” Her life wasn’t without heartache, but she lived and loved every day. The past three months were evidence of the best of her, filled with so much love and laughter. There aren’t enough words to convey how much she will be missed.

A graveside service and a Celebration of Life will be scheduled at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Bristol Hospice of East Georgia or to the cemetery fund at Springhill Primitive Baptist Church in Ocilla, GA.

Bernstein Funeral Home, Athens, is in charge of arrangements.