Reverend Clarence C. Payne

“…Become a full part of life, so in the golden years of life we can look back and find more than sermons written, more than miles logged, more than coffee consumed. That we may find those ventures of life for which we may truly be proud.” - Excerpt from The Danger of Emptiness, a sermon by Clarence Payne (1963)

Clarence was born on January 1, 1934, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Arvid S. Payne and Mildred Berberich.

He often told stories of his childhood, including how he developed his love for peanuts and pretzels while tagging along with his parents to neighborhood bars in St. Louis. One of his favorite memories was a New Year’s Eve outing that also happened to be the night before his birthday. He recalled standing on the bartop as the room erupted with cheers. Not understanding New Year’s Eve, he assumed everyone was celebrating his birthday. Our family made it a tradition to celebrate Clarence every New Year’s Eve.

Clarence’s father later had four more children during his second marriage to Alma Copeland. Clarence was raised as the eldest of five siblings. Growing up, he worked alongside his father in the family television repair shop. Because of his parents’ divorce, Clarence was forced to become independent at a young age, but he found community and belonging in the local Presbyterian church in St. Louis, often attending alone. He frequently shared that the church gave him a sense of home and hope, inspiring his lifelong call to ministry and his desire to give others what had helped him so deeply.

That calling grew stronger during his studies at Washington University, where he majored in sociology and became involved in Youth for Christ. In 1953, at age 19, Clarence volunteered at the Billy Graham crusade in St. Louis. He became so immersed in the work that he nearly failed his classes that semester, but the experience solidified his dedication to the ministry. After graduating from Washington University, he continued his studies at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago.

Clarence received his first pastoral call in 1958 to serve as assistant pastor at Macalester Presbyterian Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. He liked to joke that he was excited to move there because he loved blondes and was sure Minnesota would deliver. On his very first day in St. Paul, in July 1958, he arrived at the home of the head pastor, and was greeted at the door by a young, petite Colombian woman with dark, curly hair, an international student living there during her studies at Macalester College. Her name was Rosita Menendez. Clarence always said, it was love at first sight.

Rosita was preparing to visit her family in Colombia in February 1959, but Clarence was unwilling to let her leave without first putting a ring on her finger, so that’s what he did! While she was away, he wrote to her one or two times every single day until she finally invited him to Colombia to get married. Clarence drove from St. Paul to Miami to catch a flight to Barranquilla, Colombia, where they were married on April 25, 1959, marking the beginning of a loving, adventurous, and devoted 56-year marriage.

Clarence and Rosita began their married life in St. Paul. In 1961, they moved to New Jersey so Clarence could pursue a master’s degree in counseling at Princeton Theological Seminary. After graduating they briefly returned to St. Paul, where their daughter, Anita, was born in 1962. Two months later, in August 1962, they moved to the Republic of Panama, where Clarence was called to serve at Gatun Union Church in the former Canal Zone. This marked the beginning of 28 years in Panama, where they also welcomed their son, David Payne, in 1965.

In 1964 Clarence was called to serve as head pastor at Balboa Union Church, where he stayed until 1969.

In 1969 Clarence and his family moved to Florida, so he could pursue a PhD at Florida State University. Soon after arriving, Dr. Gibbes Ulmer Miller hired Clarence to become a part-time, interim pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Monticello. On October 31, 1969 The Paynes moved to Monticello for nine wonderful months, forming friendships that would last a lifetime. One of those friendships eventually led to Anita meeting her future husband, Morris Henry Miller.

In the spring of 1970, the governor of the Panama Canal Zone, Brig. Gen. Walter P. Leber, called Clarence to offer him a position on his staff as Advisor to the Governor on Youth. Clarence accepted the position and the family returned to the Canal Zone that summer. This marked the beginning of a 20-year career with the Panama Canal administration. During this time, Clarence continued serving Balboa Union Church as a Sunday school teacher, part-time pastor, and faithful leader.

In 1990, after 28 years in Panama, Clarence retired from Pan Canal as Ombudsman/ Administrative Assistant to the Administrator, and returned to full-time ministry as Executive Associate Pastor at National Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C., where he served until 1997. During this period, his son David passed away from cancer in 1995.

In 1997, Clarence and Rosita moved to Tallahassee, Florida, to be closer to their daughter Anita, her husband Morris, and their five children. Clarence served as pastor of Lafayette Presbyterian Church from 1997 until his retirement in 2002.

Following retirement, Clarence and Rosita traveled extensively, visiting friends and family around the world, officiating weddings, funerals, and baptisms, while also playing active roles in their grandchildren’s lives, taking them on adventures near and far. After 56 years of marriage Rosita passed away in November 2015.

Dancing was a beloved family pastime. After Rosita’s passing, Clarence took up ballroom dancing, where he met Lynne Barrera. Their friendship grew into a life partnership that brought Clarence joy, laughter, and love during the final eight years of his life.

Clarence never lost his zest for life. He continued officiating weddings for family and friends, including his grandson Morris Payne and his wife Asia Johnson in 2017, and most recently, the wedding of his grandson David Gibbes and his husband John Gardner in September 2025, where Clarence not only officiated but joyfully danced the night away.

Clarence is survived by his life partner, Lynne Barrera; his daughter, Anita Payne Miller, and her husband, Morris Henry Miller; his five grandchildren and their partners: Morris Payne (Asia), Rose (Rodrigo), David (John), Paul (Stephanie), and Reyna (Ernie); his three great-grandchildren, Mia, Aliyah, and Amira; his sisters, Bonnie Shema, Linda Kuchar, and Janet Thomason; and many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends near and far.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 pm on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 at Lafayette Presbyterian Church, located at 4220 Mahan Dr, Tallahassee, FL, 32308. Please, wear whatever color makes you happy. Clarence always said yellow made him happy. Services will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Clarence's memory to Lafayette Presbyterian Church (4220 Mahan Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32308) or to The Big Bend Hospice Foundation (1723 Mahan Center Boulevard, Tallahassee, FL 32308)

Live Streaming links can be found below.

https://www.youtube.com/live/Ucdpba6kRu0

https://www.youtube.com/live/J6-B2udo2wY