Mr. Robert Earl Payton, Sr., age 74, of Elkhart, Indiana, passed away peacefully and with quiet dignity at his home on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at 4:49 p.m., surrounded in spirit by the family who loved him dearly and the memories that filled the walls of the house he called home.

Born on March 5, 1951, in Winona, Mississippi, Robert was the beloved son of the late John Sylvester Payton and Bertha Lee (Coffey) Payton. His life was a patchwork quilt stitched together with hard work, humor, loyalty, and a profound love for his family and friends. He was known to many by a smile that could soften the hardest of days and a laugh that was often contagious — even when you didn't quite get the joke.

Robert leaves behind a legacy of love, laughter, and nicknames — lots and lots of nicknames. If you knew Robert, you probably had a nickname, whether you wanted one or not. He was the family's self-appointed "Name Giver," and once he dubbed you, the title stuck for life. Each nickname carried a story, a memory, or sometimes just a chuckle between the lines. It was his way of making sure everyone had a unique place in his heart.

Left to cherish his memory are his daughters, Dr. La-Tonya Reane Winfrey-Walls of Atlanta, Georgia; Wanda Streeter of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Melissa Jordan of Fort Wayne, Indiana; his son, Robert Payton, Jr. of Michigan City, Indiana; and his devoted siblings: brothers Gene (Nancy) Payton of Elkhart and Bill (Jamie) Payton of Inkster, Michigan; sisters Shirley Clark of Inkster and Anita Jowers of Atlanta; and his sister-in-law Barbara Payton of Elkhart.

Robert was especially close to his niece, Cassandra Payton, who often stepped into the role of caregiver and companion with grace, humor, and patience — which was necessary because Robert had opinions. Plenty of them. And if you disagreed, you'd better come with facts. Or a plate of food. Either worked.

He was a proud grandfather and great-grandfather to 9 grandchildren and one grandchild, and a favorite uncle to many nieces and nephews who all knew that "Uncle Robert" could be counted on for both wise advice and a good-natured roast — usually in the same sentence.

He was preceded in death by his beloved son, Kelsey Payton, his brothers Lester, Frank, James, Luther and Leroy Payton, and sisters Hattie Pittman and Mattie Burnside, all of whom he missed dearly and spoke of often with reverence, laughter, and an unmistakable twinkle in his eye.

Robert built a good life with good hands. For more than 20 years, he worked as an instrument manufacturer at Vincent-Bach Musical Instruments in Elkhart, crafting tools that would carry music into the world. He was a diligent, skilled, and respected worker, the kind of man who showed up early, stayed late, and took quiet pride in a job well done. He wasn't flashy, but he was faithful — to his work, to his family, and to the people he loved.

Outside of work, Robert found joy in the dirt — specifically, the kind that could grow tomatoes, roses, and anything else he could coax from the ground. He was passionate (some might say obsessive) about his vegetable and flower gardens and kept his yard "tight" — a word he used with great satisfaction to describe its perfectly edged lines and weedless borders. His lawn was a source of personal pride and neighborhood envy. He would often be found outside in the early morning hours, coffee in one hand and garden hose in the other, giving unsolicited lawncare tips to any neighbor who dared to pass by.

He was a man of deep feeling and genuine faith — a Christian through and through, though he never made a spectacle of it. His beliefs were lived out in how he treated others: with kindness, honesty, and generosity of spirit. He wasn't afraid to cry or laugh or love, and he had a knack for remembering everyone's birthday — a small but mighty gift that made those around him feel seen and special.

A celebration of Robert's life will be held at the Greater Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church, located at 1829 Oakland Avenue, Elkhart, on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, beginning with visitation at 11:00 a.m. and funeral service at 12:00 noon. The Reverend Willie McClinton will officiate, and burial will follow in Prairie Street Cemetery immediately after the service.

Though he is no longer with us in body, Robert Earl Payton, Sr. lives on in every garden bloom, every nickname passed down, and every belly laugh shared in his memory. He was a good man, a funny man, and above all, a loving man — and the world is better because he was here.