Kate was born on November 2, 1956, to Adrian and Helen (Smiley) Miller in Des Moines. She graduated from East High School and DMACC. She married David Payne on August 5, 1978, in Des Moines.
With her education, Kate began working as a lab technician in a pediatric doctor’s office and at Des Moines Orthopedic Surgeons but soon discovered her passion for advocating for people with disabilities and assisting others. She worked for various organizations, including the American Cancer Society, the State of Iowa, including the Governor’s Office, and the Department of Public Health as a program planner. She was also a Jazzercise instructor and franchise owner. She enjoyed dance and performed in the annual Nutcracker Ballet.
Kate supported many organizations with her dedication and willingness to achieve goals. Kate was a long-time advocate for people with disabilities and supported Special Olympics Iowa and Link Associates. She spread awareness for ovarian cancer by participating in Teal Tuesday and being a team leader at the annual NOCC Together in Teal 5K. She adopted and fostered through the MidAmerica Boston Terrier Rescue.
She was preceded in death by her father Adrian, father and mother-in-law Harold and Patricia Payne, and cousin Shawn Miller. Kate is survived by her husband David, daughter Allison Payne (Dustin), and son Adam. Also surviving Kate is her mother, Helen, brothers Adrian (Michelle), Scott (Diane) Miller, sister Cheryl (Mark) DePhillips, and nieces and nephews Darcy, Forrest, Devon, Noah, Samantha, Anna, Kaitlyn, Michael, Mackenzie, and Blake.
A sincere thank you to Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MD Anderson, Texas, and UnityPoint Hospice for the care that was shown towards Kate during her journey with cancer.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Special Olympics of Iowa, Link Associates, the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) or MidAmerica Boston Terrier Rescue.
