Dr. Franklin Edward Payne, Jr.

Franklin Edward Payne, 81, of Augusta, GA, entered his eternal rest on October 30, 2025.

He was born on November 30, 1943, in Raleigh, NC, to the late Frank and Elizabeth Payne. Ed graduated from McEachern High School in Powder Springs, GA. After high school, Ed graduated from Mercer University in Macon, GA where he met his wife Jeanne before attending and graduating from the Medical College of Georgia with a Doctor of Medicine.

Ed served in the US Army and was a Vietnam Veteran. After his military service, Ed spent the next 25 years working at the Medical College of Georgia including Family Practice, the Ambulatory Care Center, walk-in clinics, and with students and residents.

After retirement, Ed continued working in the Emergency Room at Fort Gordon as well as clinics across the area while splitting time with his favorite hobby, golf. Ed was a member of Forest Hills Golf Course for the past few decades where he won multiple Senior and Super Senior Club Championships. He also played in over 100 CSRA Regions Cup tournaments after he turned 50, and he won a record 13 senior titles (a mark since surpassed). He shot his age for the first time on September 9, 2014, a feat since repeated over 1,000 times to go along with dozens of hole-in-ones. He also greatly enjoyed competing with family and friends (and winning) in captain’s choice tournaments around the area.

More important than work or golf, Ed lived a life devoted to faith, family, and service. A faithful servant of the Lord, he found great joy and strength in his relationship with Christ and was a member and elder of Westminster Presbyterian Church at the time of his passing. As his children can attest, he was an avid supporter of all of their sports and activities and could frequently be heard cheering his support and reminding the referees of the rules. Ed combined his faith and love of medicine by authoring several books, websites, and medical journals which he maintained through his death.

He is survived by his devoted wife of over 57 years, Jean Murphy Payne, and their four beloved children: Jonathan Edward Payne (Marla), Sheryl Payne Cooley (Jim), Nicole Payne Shoemaker (John), and Benjamin Michael Payne (Lauren). He was blessed with and joyfully boasted of his 25 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by two of his three sisters: Elizabeth Payne Dause and Dr. Camille Payne. He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Elizabeth Payne, and his older sister Mary Bagley Payne. 

A celebration of Ed’s life will be held on November 1, 2025, at 11:00am at Westminster Presbyterian Church with visitation happening beforehand from 9:00-11:00am.

Interment will follow at a later date with the immediate family.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Westminster Presbyterian Church Building Fund in his memory.

His love and legacy will live on in all who knew him.