James Gerald Payne

James G. Payne, Jr., August 5, 1939 - March 31, 2019.
James Gerald Payne, Jr. died peacefully in the Poet's Walk nursing home on March 31, 2019 surrounded by his wife and his sons after courageously fighting his battle with Alzheimer's disease over the past five years. Jim was born and raised in Wayne, Michigan, was a boy scout and a 1962 graduate of Michigan State University where he earned his bachelor's degree in Agricultural Engineering. He had a successful 30 year career serving his country as a Commissioned Officer in the US Public Health Service, achieving the rank of Captain (O-6) performing nuclear test monitoring at the Nevada Test Site and working as Director of Engineering at EPA's Environmental Monitoring Lab in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jim also earned his MS in Radiation Physics from Rutgers University in 1969.
In 1962, Jim married Judith ""Judy"" Sochowicz of Hamtramck, MI. They have two wonderful sons: Eric and David, of whom Jim was extremely proud and actively engaged in their lives. After Judy died in 1988, Jim married Lorraine Cella of Boston, Massachusetts in 1990. Always ready to offer his quick wit and humor, and even sing or play a bluegrass or country song or two if you were lucky, Jim enjoyed spending time with his family, particularly while traveling to Utah, Michigan, Texas, Florida, California, and Boston. He also took pleasure gardening at his home with his wife, spending time skiing, cooking chili, visiting with friends, hiking in the mountains of Utah, and visiting with his son Eric's family in Texas with his daughter-in-law, Amie, his grandson, Cameron (8) and his granddaughter, Kaelyn (8). Some of our favorite memories include Jim ending his Payne family prayers with ""God Bless America!"" He was a true patriot and loved his country. Jim knew our Lord Jesus Christ and attended Las Vegas University United Methodist Church for decades. Jim was a loving husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, and a true friend. Jim is preceded in death by his father, James Gerald Payne, Sr., his mother, Hazel Payne, his first wife, Judy Payne, and most recently, his sister, Nancy Halik. Besides his wife and his two wonderful boys, Jim leaves behind his grandchildren, Cameron and Kaelyn, his brother-in-law, Dick Halik of Lansing, Michigan, and his sister-in-law Linda and her husband, Ken, of California, along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and close friends.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Bryce Woodlands Estates, Utah at a date to be later determined. Jim's final resting place will be among the mountains of Utah where his ashes will be scattered in the places where some of his finest memories were made.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America https://alzfdn.org/support-us/donate. Website notifications can be sent in Memory of James Payne to Eric Payne via mail at 306 Ruidosa Downs, Helotes, Texas, 78023.

Online condolences may be offered to the family through www.sunsetodessa.com.

Memorial Contributions

Alzheimer's Foundation of America