Elvera V Payne

Funeral Services for Elvera V. Payne will be conducted from the Evangelical Free Church in Oxford, Nebraska on Tuesday, November 25, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. with Pastor Wes Holen officiating. Interment will be in the Stamford Cemetery at Stamford, Nebraska following the services.

Elvera Violet Payne, 96 years of age, of Stamford, Nebraska, passed away on Thursday, November 20, 2014 at the Colonial Villa Good Samaritan Center in Alma, Nebraska. She was born November 18, 1918 on the Swanson family farm southwest of Stamford in Furnas County, Nebraska, the younger of two children born to Albert and Eunice (Corbin) Swanson. Elvera continued to reside on the family farm all of her life until moving to the Colonial Villa in May of 2014. She received her education from a rural school in Furnas County, southwest of Stamford. She was confirmed in the Swedish Mission Church.

Following her education, Elvera was united in marriage to Dean R. Payne on December 10, 1944. The couple engaged in farming. Dean preceded Elvera in death on June 11, 1961. Elvera will always be remembered for her excellent cooking skills, especially her peanut butter pies while she operated the Stamford Café. She also enjoyed keeping the family Swedish heritage as an important part of their lives, especially during the holidays.

Elvera had a strong faith and was an active member of the Evangelical Free Church in Stamford, where she played piano and taught Sunday school. After the closing of the church she attended the Oxford Evangelical Free Church. Elvera was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary in Stamford.

Besides her husband, Dean and her parents; Elvera was preceded in death by her granddaughter, Stefanie Florom; brother, Wesley Swanson and his wife, Fern; and son-in-law, Richard Titus. She leaves to mourn her passing; her long-time companion of 45 years, Royce Johnette of Stamford; her daughter, DeAnn Zwickl and her husband, Dan of Grant, Nebraska; son, Rodger Payne and his wife, Kay of Kearney, Nebraska; two granddaughters: Jennifer Swartz and her husband, Troy of McCook, Nebraska and Camille Payne and her husband, Benjamin Levenson of Boston; six great-grandchildren: Mallory Foster, Erica Florom, Austin Swartz, Megan Swartz, Solomon Levenson, and June Levenson; one great-great granddaughter, Jade Lynn Judd; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held on Monday, November 24, 2014 from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at the Mitchell-Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Oxford.

A memorial has been established in Elvera's honor and kindly suggested to the Oxford Evangelical Free Church or AseraCare Hospice.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Mitchell-Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Oxford is in charge of the arrangements.