Rebekah Whiteley Payne

Rebekah “Becky” Frances Whiteley Payne, 91, of Raleigh, died on August 25, 2017. She was born on March 7, 1926 in Greensboro, NC, the daughter of the late Harry and Frances Whiteley. Rebekah attended Mitchell College, which is where she met her husband, William Harold “Hal” Payne, who passed away in 2005.

Rebekah was a devout Christian and a longtime member of Forest Hills Baptist Church, her volunteering for the “Needles and Prayers”, as well as WMU for many years. She was also a big NC State Wolfpack basketball fan, and even knew more about the sport than most people. For many years, she assisted her husband Hal in his business by doing bookkeeping. After raising their three children, she went back to work for the State of North Carolina in the Division of Youth Services, working in the accounting department. Most importantly, she was a wonderful Christian, wife, mother and grandmother, friend and will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

Rebekah is survived by her sons, William H. Payne, II and J. Mark Payne; grandchildren, Stacy W. Stover and her husband, Richard, Maria Shelton and Windsor Creech; great grandchildren, Revel Shelton, Sebastian Shelton, Matt Creech, and Kaylee Creech; and other extended family. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and daughter, Shirley Wilkins. Burial will be at Alamance Presbyterian Church in Greensboro, NC, with a graveside service at Noon, Wednesday, August 30, 2017.

The graveside service will be Alamance Presbyterian Church, at 4000 Presbyterian Road, Greensboro, NC on Wednesday, August 30, 2017 at 12:00 noon. A memorial service to celebrate Becky’s life will be at Forest Hills Baptist Church, at 201 Dixie Trail, Raleigh, NC on Friday, September 1, 2017 at 11:00 am. The family will receive friends afterwards in the church parlor. If desired, memorial gifts might be made to the Forest Hills Baptist Church, Hospice, or to NC State University.

Arrangements by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, Saint Mary’s St., Raleigh. Condolences may be made online at BrownWynneRaleigh.com.