Wayne Estes Payne Sr., 78 of Carrollton, Ga., passed away Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022.
He was born May 4, 1943, in Bryson City, N.C., son of the late Estes Ed Payne and the late Gracie Cook Howard.
He graduated from Hiawassee High School and attended Western North Carolina University.
He retired from UPS in 2003 after having served with the company for many years.
He was an active member with Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he served in the Brotherhood and was a Sunday school teacher.
He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Mary Frances Payne of Carrollton; his sons and daughters-in-law, Wayne Estes Payne Jr. and wife Patty of Carrollton, Ga., Michael Anthony Payne and wife Amy of Holley, N.Y., James William Payne and wife Suerena of Fort Walton, Fla., Greg Payne and wife Crystal of Douglasville, Ga., and Scott Payne of Villa Rica, Ga.; grandchildren, Emily Payne Wilkins and husband Adam of Carrollton, Ga., Jake Payne of Carrollton, Ga., Nicholas and Amanda Payne of Holley, N.Y., Andrea Payne of Holley, N.Y., Amber Browne of Fort Walton, Fla., Breanna and Dalton Stansberry of Cannon AFB, New Mexico, Austin Payne of Douglasville, Ga., and Anna Payne of Villa Rica; two great-grandchildren, Liam Payne and Scott Payne; and siblings, Betty Robertson, R.L. Howard, Wade Howard and Doug Howard, all of Murphy.
Funeral services will be conducted at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 6, from Ebenezer Baptist Church with the Revs. Jeff Childers and Doug Howard officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery with the Revs. Mike Powers and Terry Braswell performing graveside service. The following gentlemen will serve as pallbearers: Jake Payne, Austin Payne, Adam Wilkins, Mike Duncan, Robbie Duncan, Nicholas Payne, Spencer Gay and Cody Hasty.
The family will receive friends at the church from 1-2:45 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 6.
Messages of condolences may be sent to the family at www.martin-hightower.com.
Martin and Hightower Heritage Chapel, Carrollton, Ga., has charge of the arrangements.