Virgil L. Payton; Former Ventura County Coroner and Oxnard Mortician

Virgil L. Payton, a two-term Ventura County coroner and public administrator and longtime Oxnard mortician, has died. He was 71.

Payton died Friday at a hospital in Fresno, where he had lived since 1989. He owned Payton Mortuary in Oxnard for 37 years before going into semi-retirement six years ago.

During his terms as coroner in the 1950s, Payton, who was born in Bolivar, Mo., carried the distinction of being the youngest coroner and county administrator in the state at the time.

A graduate of Oxnard High School, Ventura College and the California College of Mortuary Science, Payton was active in local civic organizations, including the Oxnard Optimist Club, the Oxnard Elks Lodge and the Masonic Lodge. He was also active in his church, St. Paul’s Methodist in Oxnard, and helped sponsor the Northside Little League.

“He was a great father, and we will miss him terribly,” said Payton’s daughter, Kay Buchheim of Fresno. “He was always very active and always maintained a terrific sense of humor.”

Payton’s other surviving daughters are Karen, also of Fresno, Kathleen of Oxnard and Kimberly of Las Vegas. Payton is also survived by his former wife, Betty, of Oxnard, his current wife, Sherrill, of Fresno, and son Kenneth of Fresno.

Other survivors include a sister, Wilma, of Oxnard, and 10 grandchildren.

He was a past president of the California Coroners and Public Administrators and California Funeral Directors associations.

Memorial services will be conducted Wednesday at the First Baptist Church, 936 W. 5th St., Oxnard. Private burial services will conducted immediately following at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura. The Buchheim Family Chapel of Fresno is handling the arrangements.