Donna Anne Payne

She was 83 years old. She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother who was always there when we needed her most. Born in Puerto Rico and raised on US Army bases around the world, she was a well-traveled person with an affinity for Asian art influenced by her time spent living in Japan. A librarian, she expressed her passion for the written word through reading and working on word searches. A grandmother many times over, she loved babies and often volunteered at St. Barnabas Hospital in Livingston, NJ.

Donna was a long-time resident of Fairfield, NJ where she raised her family. She is predeceased by her husband Jack V. Payne, Jr and is survived by: her brother Raymond Blaum (Anna) of Suffolk, VA and children Luanne Hayes (Kyle) of Centre, AL; Jacqueline Steffel (Robert) of Indialantic, FL; and Robert Payne (Stephanie) of Fairfield, NJ; as well as grandchildren Kelsey Bickett (William), Gracen Steffel, Taylor Carroll (Allen), Brittan Steffel (Sean), Jack Payne, and Tessa Payne, as well as great-grandchild Elizabeth “Birdie” Bickett.

Donna will be laid to rest beside her husband at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs, GA on October 21. Her warm presence and loving nature will be deeply missed by all who knew her.