Mark Alan Payne

Mark Alan Payne, 66, of Evansville, Indiana went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, January 19, 2022, at his home, surrounded by his family who loved him dearly.

Mark was born on October 27, 1955 and grew up on the far west side of Evansville, where he lived in the house that his father built. He graduated from F.J. Reitz High School in 1974. Mark participated in track and field and was a member of the R-Men Varsity Club. While in high school, he met his lifelong partner, Debbie, and they were married in 1978. After they were married, Mark moved back into the house he grew up in to raise his own family.

Mark participated in many hobbies and activities over the course of his life. Mark was an accomplished hunter. He assisted the Reitz Instrumental Music Booster for many years. He loved to travel with his family. He loved old westerns and science fiction. And claimed to be a prolific gambler, depending on the day you asked him. But his main hobby was his home. He always took great pride in improving the home he grew up in and always felt it was his responsibility to continue to build on his father's legacy.

Mark retired from CSL Plasma Center in 2018 after 42 years of service. The company changed names many times during his employment, and he served in several different roles over the years.

Mark was a devoted son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, and friend to everyone who knew him. His mischievous sense of humor could always make you laugh. Mark was wise beyond his years; he always showed a sense of ingenuity and resourcefulness in the things he did; but was also the most accident-prone person you would ever meet. At the end of the day, he had a kind and loving heart and was always willing to give a helping hand whenever it was asked of him. Mark will be greatly missed by the people who knew and loved him.

Mark is survived by his wife of 43 years, Debra (Young) Payne of Evansville; children, Christopher Payne and his wife Alisa of Richland, IN; Ethan Payne and his wife Natalie of Evansville; grandchildren, Rylie Payne, Carter Payne, Dylan Payne, and soon to be born grandson; brothers and sisters, Pam (Payne) Phelps, Greg Payne, Debbie (Payne) Mabern and her husband Jerry, Jimmy Payne, and Lisa (Payne) Howard and her husband Shawn: mother-in-law Lovye (Bedwell) Young aka Goforth; brother-in-law, Chuck Young and his wife Tammy; and many nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends.

Mark was preceded in death by his father, James D. Payne; his mother, Mary Lois (Hayes) Payne; brother-in-law, Ron Phelps; sister-in-law, Cheryl (Jamison) Payne; and father-in-law, Robert L. Young.

Special thanks to all the doctors, nurses, medical staff, and social workers at Deaconess Gateway, Deaconess Home Care & Hospice, and the IU Simon Cancer Center in Indianapolis for their kind and exceptional care. Mark understood that these were challenging times for medical workers, and he appreciated the care he received immensely. Also, many thanks to his niece Allison (Young) Williams and her husband Matt along with the Fair Haven Foundation in Indianapolis for their hospitality.

A celebration of Mark's life will be held on Sunday, January 30, 2022, at Sunset Funeral Home, 1800 St. George Rd, Evansville, IN 47711 with Pastor Randy Moore officiating. There will be an hour of visitation from 2-3 pm and service from 3-4 pm. The service will be live streamed for those unable to personally attend.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Contributions can be made online at https://donate.lls.org/lls/donate.