Coy Franklin Payton Jr., 69, of Chester Gap, Virginia passed away peacefully on Friday, February 2, 2024 at his home.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 24, 2024 at 10 AM at Maddox Funeral Home, 105 West Main Street, Front Royal, Virginia with Pastor Karl Heltibridle officiating.
Mr. Payton was born on October 22, 1954 in Oakridge, Tennessee to the late Coy Sr. and Audrey Hammer Payton. He was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He grew up in Falls Church Virginia, graduated from JEB Stuart High School and attended Liberty University through their school of lifelong learning.
In high school, Mr. Payton was a multi-sport athlete. Participating in sports like basketball, baseball, football, tennis, and even wrestled in his own time. Highlights of his athletic career is in baseball, playing since he was a young boy and was considering going to college for the sport. Later in life, he enjoyed running on the track and trail-walking with the many dogs he had.
During his time of attending Liberty University, Mr. Payton pursued his pre-established interests in literature and the many world religions. He had the God-given gift of writing, on some days he would write up to three to four pieces in a day with a variety of topics and themes. Things that are included in his literature are political satire, comedy, poetry, and most importantly Biblical studies. “Inner Skies/Naked Page” was published and is a collection of some of Mr. Payton’s pieces from earlier in his writing career. He started the process of publishing another book, which at the time was named “God, Trump, Poetry and the Spiritual Nature of Life.” Unfortunately, this project was never concluded.
After completing his endeavors in education, Mr. Payton would enlist and serve for the U.S. Marine Corps. Serving in the late 1970’s. Luckily, this was a time of little war or conflict in America so his life was never truly threatened during his time of serving. Like many Marines, Mr. Payton said the great saying “once a Marine, always a Marine.”
Mr. Payton was baptized on May 31st, 1981 at Potomac Baptist Church. From that day on he became a lifelong student in exploring and studying the Bible. Family and friends joined him for times of studying and understanding the many teachings of the Bible. Mr. Payton, having studied the Bible all of his life and wanting to spread the good word, created a WordPress blog to help promote his other works. Most importantly he felt the need to teach people of the Bible and being a true Christian and having a true relationship with God.
Alongside writing literature, Mr. Payton documented everything with his Canon T70 camera. He had an eye for producing good photos. Most of his photos consist of nature landscapes or his dogs, with some pictures being of friends and family, and even himself at times.
One thing that is unfortunate is that many of his pieces of writing and photographs were lost. Moving from house to house caused some things to be lost in transit
Mr. Payton worked many jobs, highlights include Prototype Productions in Ashburn, Virginia, JMI – Daniels Pharmaceutical in St. Petersburg, Florida and was a meat cutter and seafood specialist for Food Lion Stores, which was the job he had for the longest before retiring. He had training in business administration, commercial driving and construction. He was a true renaissance man.
Survivors include his wife of 17 years, Mizuho Payton; son, Ariel Payton; daughter, Lauren Payton McDowell; two brothers, Perry Payton and Brian Payton; sister, Rhonda Metcalfe and two grandchildren, Samantha and Michael.
The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to American Family Radio Preborn Program, P.O. Box 3206, Tupelo, Mississippi 38803.