Obituary of Georgia Grace Payne

Georgia Payne was born on September 27, 1936 at Fort McIntosh, a U.S. Army base on the Rio Grande River near Laredo, Texas to George White and Erma Grace Caddel White. She was a fifth generation Texan whose forbearers arrived in 1828.

Georgia grew up in Laredo where she learned to speak fluent Spanish as a small child. This was a gift she utilized her whole life including a stint at E.A. Jones Elementary School where she taught bi-lingual education.

As a young child, she lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and several times lived in San Antonio, Texas where she attended Thomas Jefferson High School.  It was during this time that she met her future husband, James C. Payne, to whom she was married for sixty-one years.  She was a faithful wife and dedicated mother to three active boys. She started her professional career as a secretary at Homeco and Superior Oil Company.  She advanced her career into senior management with Fish Engineering, Bechtel and Home Insurance. At a time when most people are retired, she was hired to work part time at Braband Construction and ended her work career working full time at this company in 2015.

She set a positive example for her sons in what it meant to work hard, live a moral life with integrity, and show compassion to the weak and ill. 

As an adult Georgia loved music, and liked to play the organ, a skill she acquired from her beloved Aunt Ruth. She enjoyed interior decorating and was a fashionista.

A long-time resident of Missouri City and member of St. Thomas of Canterbury, she was a person of faith. She died on October 4, 2017 after a valiant struggle with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Georgia is preceded in death by her husband, James C. Payne, her mother, Erma Grace Caddel, her father, George W. White, and her brother Joseph “Bobby” Mills.  She is survived by her brother Valentino Alvin Hartz, her sons, The Rev. Dr. James T. Payne, George R. Payne, Michael Patrick Payne; granddaughters Heather Maureen Payne, Anna Marie Payne Rosa and husband Aaron Rosa; grandson Michael Patrick Payne, Jr.; granddaughter Madison Payne and great grandson Logan Dean Rosa and cousins Ernest Charles Morton and wife Brenda Morton, and Ruth Jeanette Bryant.

The Funeral Service will be held on Monday, October 9th at Clayton Funeral Home, 5530 W. Broadway, Pearland, TX 77581. Visitation will be at 11:00 a.m. with the Funeral Service at Noon. The Rev. D. Lawrence Jones officiating. Burial will follow at Forest Park Lawndale.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the American Cancer Society or to St. Thomas of Canterbury Church.