George W. Payne Jr.

George W.

Payne Jr.

George was a Korean war veteran and a founding member of the Greater Metropolitan Order of Elks, Lodge No. 1262 in Cambria Heights, New York, where he held the office of Exalted Ruler and Past Exalted Ruler. In 1988, he retired from the New York City Sanitation Department and he and his family moved back to Charlottesville, Virginia, where he became a Deacon at St. John Baptist Church.

He leaves to cherish in loving memory his devoted wife, Christine Byrd Payne; four sons, Gregory I. Payne Sr. and his wife, Judy, Gary T. Payne and his wife, Melissa, Alvin Byrd, and Jeffery Byrd and his wife, Myra; one daughter, Deborah Byrd; two daughters-in-law, Sherilyn Payne and Kathy Payne; 16 grandchildren, Glenn Payne Jr., Ashlee Payne, Lanette Shifflett, Gregory Payne Jr., Hope Payne, Marissa Payne, Olympia Byrd, Sekeitha Byrd, Dominique Byrd, Alisha Byrd, Keyana Byrd, Morgan Byrd, Jeffrey Byrd Jr., Drew Byrd, Logan Byrd and Dwayne Byrd; seven great-grandchildren; two brothers, Herbert Payne and his wife, Jean, and Percy Payne; one aunt, Mary Blair; a close cousin, Sarah Paige; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

To many he was known as uncle, cousin, brother and dad. However, the name that brought the biggest smile to his face was PAPA.

Funeral services will be held 1 p.m. Saturday, May 1, 2010, at St. John's Baptist Church in Cobham, Virginia, with the Reverend Kelvin Hawkins officiating. Interment will follow at the church cemetery.

The family will receive friends at the church one hour prior to the service.

A special thanks to the Colonnades Senior Living Center and especially Wendy, his caregiver, for their excellent caring of Deacon George Payne.

To pay condolences to the family please sign the guest book at www.jfbellfuneralhome.com.

J. F. Bell Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.


This obituary was originally published in the Daily Progress.