Nelda Marie Payne Cotton, born June 15, 1939 to Dewey and Reba Wyatt Payne, passed away December 17, 2024, at Hospice of West Alabama. Services were held on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 2:00 pm at Five Mile Primitive Baptist Church in Akron, AL with Gene Dockery and Noah Phillips officiating and Kirk Funeral Homes, Greensboro Chapel providing services. Services were held graveside.
She is preceded in death by her parents Dewey and Reba Wyatt Payne; sister; Carolyn Lorrein Payne; brother; Adolph Payne; and sister; Juanita Phares.
Survivors include her daughter; Katrina Michel Espey (Greg), son; Norman Larry Cotton Jr (Beth), grandchildren; Jessup Payne Cotton, Shiloh Mc- Cormick Cotton, Emily Renee Gibson (Devon), Jacob Raymond Espey (Courtney), great grandchildren; Mary Alice Gibson, Charlotte Elaine Espey, sister; Carol Payne Robinson (Larry), and many nieces and nephews.
Nelda was born in Akron and attended Akron High School where she graduated in 1957. She was a hard worker who had jobs at Vanity Fair, Bill’s Dollar Store, and Bonus Dollar. She was active in church throughout her life at Five Mile Primitive Baptist Church of Akron and Eutaw Baptist Church of Eutaw, AL. Throughout the years at Eutaw Baptist Church, she was involved with children’s groups, youth groups, choir, the Joy Sunday School class, and the kitchen prep group. She had a sweet tooth and loved baking cakes and sweets for church meals, friends, and family.
Honorary pallbearers were the nurses and staff with Hospice of West Alabama, the EMTs with Greene County Ambulance Service, the Joy Sunday School class, and the members of Eutaw Baptist Church.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of West Alabama, Greene County Ambulance Service, Five Mile Primitive Baptist Church, or Eutaw Baptist Church
