Gene Payne

Obituary: Gene Payne, 61, passed away Tuesday afternoon, August 25, 2015, Carolinas HealthCare System-NorthEast, following a brief illness. Gene was born October 26, 1953 in Salisbury, a son of the late Yates Sylvanus and Mary Louise Lowder Payne. Employed most of his life as a brick mason, Gene had most recently worked for Phillip-Morris. He had honorably served his country with the US Army. Gene strongly believed in supporting and helping others and loved all of his family and friends, as well as his dog, Greysea. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Frank Payne. Family members left with cherished memories include his sons, Brian Payne of Kannapolis and Travis Payne and wife, Avry, of Wake Forest; his sisters, Sylvia Anderson and husband, Larry, Elsie Pethel and husband, Kenneth, both of Kannapolis, and Brenda Allen and husband, Chuck, of Harrisburg; and his grandchildren, Wyatt and Andie Payne. The family will receive friends from 9:30-11:00 am Saturday, August 29, at Whitley's Funeral Home. Funeral services to remember and celebrate Gene's life will begin at 11:00 am in the funeral home chapel, conducted by Jeff Pethel, pastor, Baptist Church of Baeufort. Burial will follow at Carolina Memorial Park with military rites. Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 201 Vance Avenue, Kannapolis, NC 28081.
Visitation: 9:30-1100 a.m., Saturday August 29, 2015 Whitley's Funeral Home.

Service: 11:00 a.m., Saturday August 29, 2015 Whitley's Funeral Home Chapel.

Interment: Carolina Memorial Park.