Helen Payne

Helen Carter Payne, age
97, died on Aug. 6, 2025, in
Ellijay, Ga.
The family will receive
friends from 1-2 p.m. on
Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025, at
Whitlock Mortuary, imme-
diately followed by a fu-
neral service at the mortu-
ary. The Rev. Brent White
will officiate. Helen will be
laid to rest beside her hus-
band at Stephens Memori-
al Gardens in Toccoa, Ga.
Helen was born on Aug.
6, 1928, in Toccoa, Ga., to
Alvin Austin Carter and
Jessie Whitman Carter.
She married Benjamin
Wayne Payne, Jr. on
March 21, 1945, shortly be-
fore his deployment to Eu-
rope during WWII. Helen
and Wayne raised two
sons, Michael Wayne
Payne (Carol) of Peachtree
Corners, Ga. and Alvin
Douglas Payne (Melanie)
of Ellijay, Ga. She trea-
sured her time with fami-
ly, particularly delighting
in her grandchildren and
great-grandchildren.
In October 1944, Helen
and Wayne joined Toccoa
First United Methodist
Church, where she was ac-
tive, particularly with the
women's and finance min-
istries, until Wayne's
death in 2016. Helen and
Wayne enjoyed decades
with their Toccoa Supper
Club friends. Later in life,
they traveled together, en-
joying group tours with
friends and a cross-coun-
try road trip with son
Mike. Helen was an ac-
complished businesswom-
an, starting in retail and
accounting positions, then
moving into proprietary
roles in retail car sales
and local bowling alleys.
Helen maintained a thriv-
ing 36-year career in resi-
dential real estate until
the age of 88, building an
active community pres-
ence in Toccoa. Helen left
her beloved Toccoa in
2021, moving to Ellijay to
be near family.
Helen is preceded in
death by her husband; her
brother, Glenn Maurice
Carter; her sisters, Geral-
dine Carter Howard, Mil-
dred Carter Wills, Betty
Mize Patterson, and Jessie
Rebecca Mize Brock; and
her grandson, Michael
Ashley Payne. She is sur-
vived by her children; two
grandchildren, Maj. Ben-
jamin Curtis Payne, of
Stuttgart, Germany, and
Dr. Aiden Payne (Beck
Schillizzi) of Athens, Ohio;
three great-grandchildren,
Carter Christopher Payne,
Abigail Jane Payne, and
Lyra Payne Schillizzi; sur-
viving sisters, Cleo Bol-
man of Jonesboro, and
Althea Housley of Mariet-
ta; and numerous nieces
and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, dona-
tions may be made to Toc-
coa First Methodist
Church. Whitlock Mortu-
ary is responsible for ar-
rangements.
Please keep the family
in your thoughts and
prayers and sign the on-
line guest book at
www.whitlockmortu-
ary.net.
Whitlock Mortuary, Fu-
nerals and Cremations is
honored to be serving the
family of Helen Carter
Payne.