Margaret Mae Hamlin was born March 18, 1939, in Elk City, Oklahoma to Edward Fritz "Bud" Evans and Mary Elizabeth (Tharp) Evans, and went to her heavenly home January 24, 2025, at the age of 85 years, 10 months, and 6 days.

Margaret was raised in the church and had a love for Jesus and singing his praise. When she was a teenager, she was song leader for the church on Sundays. In 1958, Margaret graduated from Custer City High School and was a proud Panther. During her high school years she was dubbed the 'Roller Skating Queen", winning many competitions with her talents.

In 1960, Margaret married Rex Payne. From this marriage she had her daughter, Candy and one son, Dennis. Later, she would remarry and have her youngest son, Jonathan.

Margaret had an almost 20-year long career as a title 1 reading assistant at Washington Elementary for Clinton Public Schools. Some of her proudest moments were when a student had that breakthrough while in her classroom learning to read. She formed many long-lasting friendships with students while on playground duty and while she waited with them after school during bus duty. She cheered for many of those same students later when they played for the Clinton Red Tornadoes, many of which would hug her neck after a game. This career would bring her many friendships, both with students and with her colleagues and fellow members of Kappa Kappa Iota.

Bowling was one of her favorite past times. She was on several leagues throughout the years. The Wranglers was one and then there was her band of Margarets. Those women tore up the highways traveling in their golden years to their next bowling competition. They went as far as Las Vegas, Nevada, to Nashville, Tennessee creating memories and wrecking havoc in the best possible ways. She won $100 in nickels once and was tickled pink.

If she wasn't bowling, or working, she was watching sports. Basketball and football were her favorite, but she would watch any sport. She loved the OKC Thunder and rarely missed a game. Now, when her Kansas City Chiefs were playing, she left Sunday night family dinner early, so she could go home and watch her beloved team play. She was an OSU Cowboys fan, through and through. Win or lose, she stayed loyal to her cherished teams.

She loved her grandchildren but the love she had for her great grandchildren was amazing to witness. Her whole demeanor changed when she heard their sweet little voices yell "Gramma!" She started teaching each one patty cake as soon as she held them, and later when they were older she couldn't wait to tease and play little pranks on them. And of course, each one was always threatened with, "I'm gonna take you out back and whip you!" - though she never did.

Grandma, as her family called her, was always down for an adventure. Whether it was a Sunday ride through the countryside, a random lunch date, hitting the casino for dinner and a little slot machine fun, getting a milkshake in the next county over, or a spontaneous trip to go antiquing, she was always ready and waiting on her porch for a pickup or an hour early to pick up her adventure buddy. She was fun, adventurous, onrey, witty, fiesty, but most of all loved by all who knew her.

She is preceded in death by her parents, one sister-in-law, Nelta Evans, and one brother-in -law, Meryl Potter. She is survived by her daughter, Candy Taylor and husband, Mike of Custer City, sons Dennis Cooper and wife, Sheri, of Tulsa, Jonathan Cooper and wife, Belinda of Sulpher Springs. Grandchildren Melinda Davis and husband, Brandon, Darci Zamora and husband, Bailey, Mikey Taylor and wife, Shanna, Jacob Cooper and Avery Cooper and 6 great grandchildren.

The family would like to thank Shepherd Home Health and Hospice, Dr. Blake Badgett, and the wonderful and caring staff at Corn Heritage Village of Corn for taking such loving care of her.