Rev. William Allen Payne

Memorial services will be Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 12:30 p.m. at Collier-Butler Chapel for Rev. William Allen Payne, 80, of Rainbow City, who passed away Monday, February 11, 2013.Rev. Rodney Gilmore will officiate. A private burial will take place at Young’s Chapel Cemetery prior to the service. Collier-Butler Funeral and Cremation Services is directing.

Mr. Payne was born in Piedmont, Alabama on December 28, 1932. He attended school in Piedmont and graduated with a B.S. Degree from Jacksonville State University and also served 4 years in the U.S. Coast Guard. He worked 38 years for the U.S. Postal Service and retired in 1988 as Postmaster in Rochester, MN. More importantly he was an ordained minister who pastored many different churches in Alabama and South Carolina over the course of a 52 year career serving our Lord Jesus Christ. He impacted so many lives over the years and will always be remembered as a loving husband, devoted father and a walking example of Christ’s love in the world.

Rev. Payne was preceded in death by his father and mother, Carl Denver and Nobie Marshall Payne in addition to his 7th grandchild, Bradford Daniel Payne.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Doris Eubanks Payne; sons: Barre (Carol) Payne, of Dothan, AL, and Brian (Kim) Payne, of Oak Ridge, NC; 6 grandchildren: Brannon and wife Anne, Brittany and husband Cody, Braden, Jordan, Cameron and Avery; 3 great grandchildren; Reed, William and Bradford; half-brother, Charles Payne of Moore, OK; many brother-in-laws, sister-in-laws, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Pallbearers will be: Mike Bryan, Darrell Marbut, Joey Anderson, Blake Arthur, Victor Childers, and David Usry.

Honorary pallbearers will be: Max Thompson, Jerry Lowery, Larry Childers, Morris Eubanks, and J. D. Griffith.

Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church, 161 Goodyear Ave, Gadsden, AL 35903.

Special thanks to the 7th floor staff of Gadsden Regional Medical Center.

The family will receive friends Wednesday, February 13, 2013 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

Online condolences may be made at www.collier-butler.com.