George Payne was a carpenter, then a superintendent, then a carpenter again. He didn’t mind superintending, he just felt more comfortable when he was outside with a cold wind whipping at his face building stuff. He liked the physical act of working, constructing then doing it all over again the next day.
George Payne was born August 7, 1933 in Mt. Vernon Kentucky. When George was around seven, his single mother packed up and moved the family of nine to Elgin Illinois in search of a better life. After graduating from Elgin HS in 1954 George married Sandra Burbank also a graduate of Elgin HS. They had two boys soon after marriage and all four of them grew up together.
The family was young and it was the 60’s so the family did 60s things. Rock bands in the cleared-out living room, lot’s of cigarette smoking, groovy clothing and some good parties. In fact George and family did all that stuff well into the 70’s and 80’s.
Sometime between all that nailing and sawing George became a really good dancer and he and Sandy would put their kids to shame on the dance floor. George often claimed that the day he and Sandy got married a bunch of his old girlfriends jumped off the Kimball street bridge. The bridge jumping was never confirmed but it did reveal that George liked to embellish his stories.
George built his last house just as he turned 70. It took a little longer than it used to but he still managed to do most of the work himself. Well into his 80’s George still fantasized of buying a lot and starting another house. Age couldn’t diminished his desire to take his hands and with a few tools build something.
George was preceded in death by his wife Sandra. He is survived by his two sons and their wives, Jay and Grace Payne of Austin TX, Ben and Connie Payne of Boise ID and his four grandchildren Nicole, Ryan, Bailey and Matthew, and two step grandchildren Robert and Carl.
A memorial service Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home Chapel for George will be held Sunday, August 15, 2021 at 4:00 PM.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ClementsWilcoxBurnet.com for the Payne family.
