Latasha N. Payton

Latasha Nicole Payton of Houston, TX, departed this life on Monday, May 6, 2019. She was born in Ocean Springs, MS on October 12, 1977. Latasha gave her life to the Lord as a teenager under the leadership of Pastor Arthur Sutton. Latasha graduated from Clinton High School in Clinton, MS in 1996. She was ranked 11th in her class and graduated with high honors. She then attended Mississippi State University where she graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in 2000. Upon graduating from MSU, she moved to Houston, TX and gained employment at Holbrook Elementary School as a fourth-grade teacher. Later, she began teaching fourth and fifth grades at Tipps Elementary School and was promoted to the position of Institutional Specialist after only a few years. Latasha was a dedicated member of Brookhollow Baptist Church, “Church Without Walls” under the pastoral leadership of Dr. Ralph Douglas West in Houston, TX. Latasha was called into the gospel ministry by the Lord and was ordained on May 7, 2013. She was very active in her church and served in the Youth Ministry and loved to work with the youth in her church, school, family and the community. She had a humble spirit and always spoke positively about others. She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, taking trips, attending concerts, playing games, going to the movies, or just reminiscing about the past. Latasha was preceded in death by her grandparents, Herman, Sr. and Lucy E. Payton; aunt, Esther Lee Thurmon; uncle, Sammie Lee Thurmon. Left to cherish Latasha’s memories are her loving mother, Alderine M. Payton, brother, Corey D. Payton of Jackson, MS; aunts: Alicia (Bertram) Benson of Saucier, MS, Esther “Faye” Payton, Sharon L. Payton, and Belinda Thurmon of Ocean Springs, MS, and Patricia T. McCormick of Fayetteville, NC; uncles: Shawn (Valinda) Payton, Sr. of D’Iberville, MS, Zachary Payton of Anchorage, AK, Michael D. Payton of New Orleans, LA, Darius “Dino” Thurmon, Richard (Karen) Thurmon of Ocean Springs, MS, and Herman (Dorothy) Payton, Jr. of Columbus, GA; great-aunts: Ruth Green of Houston, TX and Helen Brown of Brewton, AL; great-uncles: Kenneth (Mina) Payton of Hollis, NY and Samuel Thurmon of Ocean Springs, MS; godchild, Jacob Everson; best friends, Yolanda Everson, Kimberly Sparks, Toni Houston, Latrenda Watson, Lisa Hubbard, Felicia Lewis, and so many other friends, relatives and colleagues.