Sharon Elaine Payton, 75, of Columbia City, died peacefully at 5:20 p.m. Saturday, March 18, 2023 at Bethlehem Woods Nursing Home, Fort Wayne.

Born on January 5, 1948, in Richmond, Indiana, she was a daughter of the late Walter Neal and Lorena Jane (Franklin) Mitchell.  Sharon attended Woodburn Elementary school and graduated from Woodburn High School in 1966.

On March 11, 1967 she married Harold Payton.  They always made their home in Columbia City.  Harold died January 13, 2019.

She worked at Village Clean and then was a secretary at Testworth Labs in Columbia City from 1990 until they closed in 2010.

Sharon liked to travel and visited several states including Hawaii.  She was also fond of cross-stitch and crossword puzzles.  She really enjoyed attending the grandchildren's choir and band concerts

Surviving are her sons, Brian Payton of Columbia City, Matthew (Kendra) Payton of Fort Wayne, Anthony (Samantha) Payton of Pierceton; brother, Stephen Mitchell of Fort Wayne and sisters, Marcia Kessler of Auburn and Denise Mitchell of Fort Wayne; six grandchildren, Liza, Mikaela, Sierra, Skylar, Jaeden and Isaiah, and two great grandchildren, Ember and Oaklynn.

The funeral service is 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 24, 2023 at Smith & Sons Funeral Home.  Burial is at the South Park Annex Cemetery.  Visitation is from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 23.

Memorials in Sharon's honor are to the family for medical expenses.