December 23, 1919 – July 28, 2014
Beverly Jean Payne, 94, of Huntsville, passed away July 28, 2014, in Jasper, AL.
Beverly and her twin brother, Byron, were born in Brush Creek, Wisconsin on Dec. 23, 1919 to Jacob and Barbara (Breitenfeld) Leland. She married the love of her life, Charles Joseph Payne, on November 29, 1940, just before he was assigned to a 5-year tour of duty in Europe during World War II. The Payne’s lived overseas for an extended period of time in, both, Quito, Ecuador and Santiago, Chile, and were reassigned to Redstone Arsenal in 1958 after having duty assignments in such places as Washington, DC, Virginia, Michigan, Massachusetts, Kansas, California, Kentucky, Ohio, Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Indiana.
Bev, as she liked to be called, was an avid golfer, belonging to the Alabama Women’s Golf Association and Redstone Arsenal Women’s Golf Group. In 1970, at the age of 51, Bev graduated from the University of Alabama, Huntsville, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in History. She achieved noteworthy mention in Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities and was chosen Outstanding Graduate by the Alabama Historical Society.
Bev was quite active in the Huntsville community, serving as a Red Cross and Grey Ladies Volunteer, Girl Scout Leader, Voter Precinct Captain, Lutheran Bible Studies Group Neighborhood Watch, Hospice Family Cares, AAUW, chairman of the RSA Ladies Golf Tournament, Member of Grace Lutheran Church, Women’s Altar Guild, and Huntsville Botanical Gardens Volunteer.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a twin brother, Byron Leland; two half-sisters, Madeline Wallace and Frances Moen; seven half-brothers in Montana and South Dakota; and her loving husband, Colonel (Ret.) Charles Joseph Payne.
Those left to cherish her memory are two daughters, Linda Beverly Maddry of Austin, TX and Dr. Bette Leigh-Payne Dow of Arlington, VA; three grandchildren, Charles J. Dow (C. Jay) of San Francisco, CA, Lisa Maddry Lyons of TX and Maj. Scott Maddry of WA; five great-grandchildren, Emily Elizabeth Dow, Hannah Rose Dow, Samantha Elle Lyons, Brooke Elizabeth Lyons, and Kyle Maddry; as well as numerous nieces and nephews throughout Wisconsin and Minnesota.
A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held at Grace Lutheran Church on Saturday, August 2nd at 11:00 AM. Inurnment will be in Green Hill Cemetery in Bedford, IN, on Monday, August 4th.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to:
Alabama Hospice Care of Jasper, Alabama, 1458 Jones Dairy Rd, Suite 200, Jasper, AL 35501;
or, Grace Lutheran Mission Fund, 3321 S Memorial Parkway, Huntsville, AL 35801.
Please sign the guest registry at www.valhallafunerals.com.
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