- Date Of Birth: January 1, 1930
- Date Of Death: October 29, 2022
- State: Idaho
Charles Edward Payton
January 28, 1930 – October 29, 2022
Charles Edward Payton, 92, of Boise, died Saturday (October 29, 2022), at St. Alphonsus Hospital in Nampa, Idaho.
Charlie was born in Collister, outside of Boise, on a cold January day in 1930. He was the second of four children born to Maurice O. and Mary Eloise (Thompson) Payton. Shortly after Charlie’s birth, the family moved to a farm near Cloverdale and Amity, and then in 1937 the family moved again, this time to a farm on the corner of Eagle Road and Lake Hazel, where they settled for many years.
Charlie was a boisterous, strong-willed child in a family of quiet people, which got him into trouble frequently. However, as he matured, he learned to harness those character traits so that they were strengths rather than liabilities. With his outgoing nature he easily made and retained friends. With his strong will he was able to persevere through trials and prepare for the future.
He attended Hillsdale School from first grade to eighth grade and then attended Meridian High School, graduating in 1947. For the next two years he attended Boise Junior College with several friends. Drawing from his strong will, he was the only one of his group of friends to persevere through the two-year program, graduating in 1949, having majored in forestry.
The years following college were quite eventful. Charlie began dating Lois Ankenman, and while that relationship was blossoming, the war in Korea broke out. He was drafted in January of 1951. He and Lois corresponded regularly by mail during this time and their relationship continued to deepen. Given the constraints of the time, Charlie proposed to Lois by letter. Lois gladly accepted. They were married in his parents’ back yard on July 6, 1951, while he was on leave.
Charlie spent about a year in Korea, serving as a truck driver, transporting supplies and personnel. During his time in Korea, his first child, Kathy, was born. It was about a month before he learned the news.
Upon his return to the States, Charlie found a job with the Highway Department, and bought a house with some acreage. Although the house was small, well-worn, and lacking indoor bathroom facilities, Lois knew that the place was the one God had for them. Lois must have been right, because they lived there for seventy years, applying improvements and remodeling along the way.
Two more children, Larry and Anita, completed the family. By that time the house had been sufficiently expanded to accommodate the children.
The acreage associated with the house allowed Charlie to cultivate an extensive garden, plant fruit trees and pecan trees, grow alfalfa, and raise steers. He always had an abundance of produce and cheerfully shared the bounty with others.
During the 1950s, Charlie actively participated on the board of the IDAHY credit union, which focused on serving a few state-based agencies, including the Idaho Department of Highways. In 1969 he moved from the Highway Department to the Idaho Department of Law Enforcement to work on records automation, as well as other interesting assignments during his tenure. He called himself the “flunky” because he would do all the jobs no one else wanted.
He retired in 1987, having made many friends at the department.
In 1995 they sold a portion of their property to the city to expand Phillippi Park. With the funds from the sale, they undertook their last major remodel, expanding and modernizing the house.
Charlie loved to camp, hunt, and fish, rockhound, and drive back country roads, often declaring, “Let’s see where this road goes.” He and Lois had a pop-up camp trailer that saw frequent use. Among the favorite memories of their children and grandchildren are the summer camping trips.
Charlie is survived by his wife of 71 years, Lois; his three children, Kathy (John) Aman of Estacada, Oregon, Larry (Wendy) Payton of Boise, Anita ( Duane) Gray of Boise; grandchildren Cherish (Marc) DiLoreto of Estacada, Oregon, Joshua (Emily) Aman of Spokane, Washington, Kally (Tom) McIntyre of Boise, Tom (Rana) St. Clair of Meridian, Jana (Brian) Smith of Meridian, Idaho, and Taylor Gray of Boise; great grandchildren Danielle and Alyssa DiLoreto, Mark and Jack McIntyre, Lucas and Isaac St. Clair, Caleb and Joshua Smith. He is also survived by his brother Jim (Elaine) of Jerome, Idaho, sister-in-law Viva Hutchens of Kansas, sister-in-law Violet Alexander of Boise, brother-in-law Doyle (Linda) Ankenman of Middleton, Idaho. In addition, he is survived by many nephews, nieces, grand-nephews, grand-nieces, great grand-nephews and great grand-nieces. Preceding him in death were his parents, his brother Junior Payton, sister-in-law Florence Payton, sister Laverne Davis, brother-in-law Tom Davis, nephew Mike Davis, and many beloved members of Lois’s extended family.
