Kim Payne

As quoted from friends, "Kim completed his earthly journey and has gone on to set the stage for the greatest band in heaven". In 2003, Kim accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior. At the age of 78, Kim joined his parents T.L. and Mary Payne; brother, Ted Payne, sister-in-law, Linda Payne and sister, Melita Watson in heaven on September 22, 2023. Kim graduated from Robert E. Lee High School and joined the United States Naval Reserve in 1962. He was called to active duty January 1963 to January 1965 with the United States Naval Reserves in the 1st Division on the USS Bigelow where he served as a Mess Cook, Seaman, Deck Seamanship and Weapons Yeoman. Upon his honorable discharge, Kim became a motorcycle cop for a short time in Ozark, AL. From 1969 to 1973, Kim served as one of the original roadies for the The Allman Brothers Band and was co-writer to the song "Midnight Rider". In 1976, Kim received his Certificate of Completion for a course in Small Engines that prepared him for his job with Tieco in Montgomery where he worked as a Service Manager for 35 years. In 2020, Kim and Mark Vormitag put his adventures on paper in a book called "The Roadie, On the Road with the Allman Brothers Band". As Kim said in the song Midnight Rider....The "Road Goes on Forever!"

Kim will be remembered by his neighbors, many friends from GABBA Fest, cousins as well as his siblings Mike Payne and Marilyn Crew, brother-in-law, Al Watson, sister-in-law Cherry Payne, nieces and nephews Leigh Ann Hixon (John), Brad Payne (Karen), Michaelyn Bieber (Scott), Kathy Shirah (Danny) and Brent Watson (Emily) and Jesse Crew; great nieces and nephews Hunter Shirah (Kristine), Tyler Shirah (Mallory), Reid Davis, Brooke Payne, Cammie Payne, Claire Langford (Sebastian), Reese Watson, T.J. Watson, Mary Grace Hixon and Carsyn Crew.

A private memorial will be held at a later date.