TIFTON— Annie Laura McCorvey Payne, 86, of Tifton, died Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008 at the Memorial Convalescent Center in Adel, following an extended illness. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. today in the Bethel Baptist Church in Turner County with burial to follow at the church cemetery.

Mrs. Payne is the daughter of Ethan Allen and Essie Mae Little McCorvey, both deceased. She was born in Turner County. She was a longtime resident of Irwin and Turner counties before moving to Tifton in 1984. She was a member of the Northside Baptist Church in Tifton, where she had a love for attending services. She loved her family and friends and enjoyed cooking, gardening and spending time with her family. She was the widow of James Grady Payne, who died in 1979. She was also preceded in death by an infant daughter in 1939 and a son, James Jerry Payne in 1964. Mrs. Payne was a homemaker.

Survivors include her children, Royce Payne of Enigma, Ronnie Lee Payne of Watkinsville, Faye Spradley of Chula, Shirley Barnes of Ty Ty, Martha Jean Bearden of Sylvester and Joyce Murphy of Tifton; nine grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in memory of Laura Payne to the building fund of The Northside Baptist Church in Tifton.

You may sign the online guest book and share your special condolences and memories with the family by visiting Perry Funeral Chapel’s Web site at www. perryfuneralchapel.com. Perry Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.