Robert Lee Payan

Robert was born in a service station at the corner of State College and Lincoln in Anaheim, California to Royer and Dora (Kaelin) Payan. He attended school in Anaheim and graduated from Orange High School. During school, Bob became an Eagle Scout and drove the school bus.

During World War II, Bob enlisted in the Army Air Force.  He was trained to fly a B-24 Bomber.  The war ended just as he was getting ready to deploy to Europe.  When he came home to Anaheim, he worked for Seaside Oil delivering gasoline to the gas stations in the area.  One gas station in Artesia was his favorite delivery site.  That is where he met Bertha L. Koopman, a cute little Dutch girl with a huge family.  They married on September 7, 1946. 

Bob and Bertha bought a war surplus military GI rig and started hauling sand and gravel in southern California.  They grew their business by working long hard hours together.  Bob was the driver and mechanic and Bertha was the bookkeeper and financial advisor.  They ran Payan Trucking Inc. over the next 36 years until they sold their business and retired.

In the summer of 1963, Bob, Bertha, and their three children, Ellen, Bob, and Eileen got in the new Ford station wagon and set out for a trip around the United States.  Bob drove the family from California, to Key West, up to Maine, and back home again.  They saw many sights and learned a lot about America.  One particular stop had airplane rides and Bob decided to go up in the little plane.  He loved it and when he got home, he reactivated his pilot’s license.  He joined a group that owned a Camanche 260 airplane and he flew as a hobby.  He flew throughout the United States even as far north as Alaska.  He flew to Puerto Rico and Mexico.  Any excuse to fly and he was ready. 

Bob and Bertha lived in their first house in Norwalk, California.  In 1959, they moved to Fullerton, California.  After the children grew up and they became empty nesters, they sold their house in Fullerton and built a house in Yorba Linda.  Bob served on Yorba Linda Water District and both he and Bertha were members of the Fullerton Chamber of Commerce and the Yorba Linda Chamber of Commerce where he was a board member.  They enjoyed traveling with both Chambers of Commerce.  They have been to every state in the Union and also Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, China, Europe, Mexico, and Canada.

Robert is survived by his three children, Ellen Dorene Campbell (Bruce), Robert Edward Payan (Nancy), Eileen Bertha Cohen (John), 6 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren.  He was predeceased by his wife Bertha of 68 years.