Margaret Payne

Margaret Ann (Douglass) Payne, age 88, of Delray Beach, FL, passed away on April 22, 2016. Mrs. Payne was known for her positive outlook on life, her sense of humor, and her desire to help others. She was truly a gracious “Southern Lady”, who greeted everyone with a smile.

Funeral services will be at White Funeral Home, 315 Hwy 11 South, Poplarville on Saturday, April 30, 2016 at 2:00 pm. Burial will follow in Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends and have visitation two hours prior to the service, Saturday at the funeral home.

She was born in Jacksonville, AR on November 12, 1927, to the late Thomas Bennett Douglass and Maria Wilkinson Douglass. Two beloved brothers, Tom and John Douglass, also preceded her in death.

She is survived by her two children, Linda (Robert) Henle and David (Bonnie Gold) Payne, three grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and one brother, Jim (Mary) Douglass, of Cabot, AR.

At age 17, she graduated Jacksonville High School, where she’d enjoyed academics and basketball. She married her beloved husband, Dewey, at age 21, on August 27, 1949.

Always an energetic hard worker, she helped her family in many tasks, and began earning money as a child by picking cotton and fruit for others. She worked at a factory at age 16, and began working in office jobs at age 17. Years later, in Poplarville, she and her husband founded Payne Realty. Both were licensed real estate brokers and active in the National Association of Realtors.

Her hobbies included gardening, reading, and (her highest priority) staying in touch with family and friends. During the 1960’s and early 1970’s, in Poplarville, she and Dewey owned a nearby tree farm and a working farm in Baxterville, with ponds and livestock and fields of grain and hay. The farms were very hard work, yet rewarding, and in part were owned to help instill positive values in her children.

She served her communities in countless ways; here are some examples: she supported children’s activities through volunteer positions in local school PTAs and other groups, including Girl and Boy Scouts. She faithfully served her churches, including FUMC of Poplarville (choir, Sunday school teacher, many group member and leadership positions, and service organizations such as the Braille project.) In 1976, she helped represent South Mississippi to officials in Washington, DC, to help bring jobs to the area. She was elected as the first female President of the North Pearl River County Chamber of Commerce, serving 1976-1978. She was Director and Treasurer of the local March of Dimes chapter. She helped as a bipartisan poll worker at elections, and held county positions as a political party leader. She volunteered for the Pearl River County Hospital, Poplarville’s Brother’s Keeper, and the Abbey Delray South Health Center. She also coordinated class reunions for her Jacksonville High School Class of 1945.

Margaret loved to travel: she lived in 6 states and visited many more, from Hawaii to many states on the East Coast. She also visited over 20 countries, from Australia to Greece. Wherever she went, she “never met a stranger,” only a potential friend.

The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the Abbey Delray Health Center and to Trustbridge Hospice for their support in her final days.

Memorials may be made to: FUMC Poplarville (601-795-4519), Lifespace Foundation (515-309-4482, in support of Abbey Delray South charitable programs), or Trustbridge Hospice (561-494-6880).

Online condolences may be expressed at www.whitefuneralhomepoplarville.com .

White Funeral Home, (601) 795-4982.