Jerry Mack “Goat Burr” Payne

Jerry Mack Payne was born July 31, 1943, in Sulphur, to the late Murray Mack “Dutch” and Alma Novell (James) Payne. He died on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Oklahoma City, at the age of 82. Jerry and the former Ms. Trudy Kay Garrison were married on August 6, 1962, in Sulphur. To this union were born two sons, Steven R. and Tommy D. Payne.

Jerry, known by many as “Goat” or “Goat Burr,” grew up in Mill Creek and Sulphur, attending school in both towns. After graduating from Sulphur High School in 1961, he joined the National Guard, devoting 18 years of service to our country.

Jerry had a rather diverse work career. He worked in law enforcement for the Sulphur Police Department, as well as the Murray County Sherriff’s Department. He also spent time working at the Sulphur Cheese Plant and worked in maintenance for the Arbuckle Memorial Hospital and the Oklahoma State School for the Deaf. Throughout his life, Jerry spent many years working in the oil field. With the ups and down of the oil industry, he found work in various industries during the downtime to provide for his family. In 2010, he retired from MI Drilling as a mud engineer.

In his spare time, he enjoyed all aspects of fishing, gathering pecans, and caring for his farm animals. He also greatly enjoyed gardening. Jerry was known for growing a large garden each year and found immense joy sharing vegetables with family, friends, and neighbors. Jerry was well known for arguing with those he loved, just to see their reactions.

Survivors include his wife, Kay; two sons, Steve Payne and wife Kelly, of Stonewall, and Tommy “Choppo” Payne of Blunt, South Dakota; five grandchildren, Samantha Payne, Lonoke Payne, Rebecca Smith, Shanna Payne, and Brandt Payne; nine great-grandchildren, Zehara, Zion, Terran, Morgyn, Murphy, Layne, Munro, Rylee, and Kaydence; as well as his four siblings, Patsy Ann Murdock, Tommy “Tom Dooley” Payne and wife Donna, Don “Cracker” Payne, and Derrel Alfred Payne.

In addition to his parents, Jerry was preceded in death by granddaughter, Susan Stone, and sister, Reba Sue McDonald.

Funeral services were held 2:00 p.m., Friday, No. 28, 2025, at the First Free Will Baptist Church, in Sulphur, with Pastor Dick Terry officiating. Interment followed at the Mill Creek Cemetery.

Services are “entrusted to” Hale’s Funeral Home of Sulphur. Online condolences can be offered at halesfuneralhomes.com.