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Joe Anne Walton was born on Feb 14,1951 at Martin Army Hospital to Joseph & Annie Walton.
She attended local elementary schools graduating with honors from William H Spencer Class of 1969. She continued her education by graduating in 1971 from Columbus Technical School, Long Beach City College in 1976, & Meadows College in 1988.
She was married in 1980 to Mr. Leroy Payne from Chicago, Illinois.
Joe Anne accepted Christ at age 8 and was baptized and became a member of Riverview Baptist Church under Rev. Gouch.
The family moved and Ms. Walton joined Mt Tabor Baptist Church in 1963 under Rev. JP Jackson. She worked diligently with the Sunday School at Mt. Tabor, she attended Northside Worship Center under Rev Larry Biggers
Joe Anne Walton transitioned from this life on November 12, 2019. She is preceded in death by her parents, sister, Martha Harriston, and brother, Willie Walton.
Survivors include her brother, Joe and Sylvia Walton of Midland, Georgia and a host of nieces, nephews, and extended family.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held on 11:00 am on Wednesday, November 20, 2019 at Mt. Tabor Baptist Church, 2 Shepherd Court, Columbus, Georgia 31906 with Rev. Ken L. Jelks officiating.
The Walton Family is being assisted by Georgia Cremation, 7500 Veterans Parkway, Suite A, Columbus, Georgia 31909, 706-577-0055. The family invites you to leave a condolence or share a fond memory of Ms. Joe Anne Walton below.
Charlene M. Moore says
Joe Anne and I were only ten years apart in age. So for my whole life, I have always thought of her as a big sister rather than my aunt. I recall the many fun adventures we shared together throughout our lives. Whenever and where ever we were together, she always made sure I had fun and kept me safe. We endured a lot together and with each act of togetherness our relationship grew stronger.
I love to reflect on the crazy things we did together. There was never a dull moment when I was around Joe Anne. We did so many things together that many people addressed us as sisters. We would just laugh and Joe Anne would correct them by saying she was my “Younger Aunt” while flashing that big smile and giving me a wink.
A few of my favorite stories are;
• When I was first brought home from the hospital after being born, she was so excited to have a niece for the first time. She was so excited that she decorated my crib with tootsie roll pops. When she held me for the first time she dropped M&M’s down my throat and she thought Annie was going to kill her. When Joe Anne told this story, she would end it by telling me I still owed her .25 for all the candy she bought.
• When I first got my driver’s license, Joe Anne was determined to teach me how to drive a stick shift no matter how scared I was. She was fearless and atimate that I was going to learn. Well I did. I was so proud that I could say, “I can drive a stick and learned how to do it in Signal Hill”. And those of you from Long Beach can really appreciate this as a big milestone.
• But one my favorite and last great memory is that when I turned 16, Joe Anne made sure it would be special. She took me to see the Commodores and got box seats. This made me feel 10 feet tall and like a princess, a memory that I would have forever.
Sharing a few of these memories shoes what a big heart Joe Anne had. Having you in her life was something she never took for granted. She made sure you knew how important you were to her.
A link is a piece that connects one end of a chain to another. For the last decade, Joe Anne was our family link. She was the one that kept each and everyone us connected to each other. With her big heart, she communicated in way that assured that we stayed updated with each other. This has shown the unconditional love in her heart she had for each of us. Family was very important to her. She loves each and every one of us unconditionally and for who we are.
She will be missed and remembered in a loving and caring way. Even though our family chain is small we are still strong. This is one thing she was very proud of. So even though this link is no longer with us physically, she will always be in our hearts and remembered as one of the STRONGEST links in our family chain.