Sally Patricia Julie Payne

Born in England on July 23, 1944, Sally was raised in the idyllic coastal town of Eastbourne, East Sussex. Having an adventurous spirit, she loved living in 1960s London for a time until she bravely emigrated to the U.S. at the young age of 22. After residing in Ohio, Indiana, and Tennessee, Sally finally settled (as she put it, “deeper in the interior”) in the Kansas City area with her family in 1975, but returned to her U.K. hometown often to enjoy visiting with family and longtime friends.

Sally was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and a loyal friend. Her home had an open door, and her fabulous cooking was enjoyed by many over the years. Sally was passionate about gardening, travel, literature, the fine arts, music, and current events as an avid fan of both Public Television and National Public Radio. With a wicked sense of humour and a bit of a wild streak, her most colourful position was as secretary for one of the infamous 1960s U.K. pirate radio stations, Radio 390.

Sally is survived by her husband of 53 years, Thomas H. Payne, her children, Jean (Michael) Belancio of Kansas City, Missouri, and Shelley Brown of Blue Springs, Missouri; step-daughters, Susan (Theodore III) Growe of Lenexa, Kansas, and Pamela Payne and Julie Payne of Fort Wayne, Indiana; grandchildren, Colton Brown and Logan Brown; step-grandson, T.J. Growe; and her sister, Jean D. Gibb of Dorking, United Kingdom. Sally was preceded in death by her parents, John Martin and Edna Martin, and her infant son, Stephen Payne.

A celebration of Sally’s life will be held at a future date for family and close friends. Condolences and special memories may be left online at mtmoriah.net. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either Kansas City PBS (KCPT) or Kansas City NPR (KCUR).

Please raise a glass of cheers in Sally’s memory. “May the road rise up to meet you; May the wind be always at your back; May the sun fall warm upon your face; May the rain fall soft upon your fields; May peace and plenty bless your world; May all of life’s passing seasons bring the best to you and yours.”