Peggy Jo Payne (Pauli, Jones), 94, of Lebanon, Indiana, and formerly of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and Clinton, Oklahoma passed away from complications of pneumonia and COPD on Wednesday, June 10 in Lebanon, Indiana.
She was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on August 12, 1925 to Joseph Christopher (Laudwig) Pauli (Blesch) and Comelia Pearl Laxton. Joseph was the son of immigrants from Germany and Austria and as an infant was placed in a home for orphans and later as a boy was a rider on one of the many orphan trains sent out from New York City into other states, where he was taken in by a family in Minnesota, given their last name, (Pauli), and eventually ended up in Oklahoma City. Comelia, going by the name of Pearl, grew up in a large family which came from Missouri and settled in the outskirts of Oklahoma City. Peggy would become the oldest of four children to Joseph and Pearl, and her siblings were named Virgil Lee, Billy Gene, and Betty June. Billy Gene passed away a few years ago whereas Virgil Lee lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Betty June Smith (Pauli) resides in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Pearl passed away in 1973 and Joseph passed away in 1997.
Peggy grew up during the dust bowl days in Oklahoma and at the age of 16 quit school and took a job as a switchboard operator with Bell Telephone to help her family. She later left Bell and worked again as a switchboard operator for the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce for 30 years, retiring in 1990.
Along the way she met and married William Benton Jones of Oklahoma City, and then many years later Ernest Paul Payne, also of Oklahoma City. She had two children to William B. Jones, Sharolyn (Sharry) Louise Baxler (Jones, Anderson, Gilbert) and also William Edward Jones. Sharry resides in Lebanon, Indiana With her husband Wes, and William E. (Bill) resides in Lonoke, Arkansas with his wife Sharon.
Peggy leaves behind her siblings Virgil Lee and Betty June, as well as her children Sharry and Bill, 8 grandchildren, Adam, Lawrence, Russell Anderson, Danya Arnold, Brenna Fitzgerald, Bill Gilbert, Shelley Miller, and BJ Rogers. There are also extant 19 great grandchildren and 26 great-great grandchildren, 3 nieces and 3 nephews.
Peggy was loved by all and also loved her family and until just recently would play with her great great grandchildren on the floor. She developed Alzheimers a few years ago and it was increasingly difficult for her to get around relying on a walker and later, a wheelchair. She also developed COPD and would be beset by pneumonia more than once a year. Family plans for a memorial and interment in Oklahoma City are currently in the works.
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