Dr. William Thomas Payne, 84, died peacefully on October 31, 2024. Born in Boaz, AL to William and Myrtie Payne, he was preceded in death by his parents; his wives, Carolyn Beard Payne and Sandra Reeves Payne; and his sons, Scott Lindsey Payne and Lee Benson Payne. By his side were Jean Bergeron, her family, and his extended Amway family.
Dr. Payne graduated from Vanderbilt University and earned his Doctorate in Dentistry from the University of Alabama. He joined the Navy, completing his dental internship at St. Albans Naval Hospital, and left in 1970 as a Lieutenant Commander to establish his dental practice in Guntersville, AL. Later, he pursued a successful career with Amway, achieving the level of Triple Diamond and serving on the Amway Distributors Association Board of Directors for 12 years. His leadership abilities shone throughout his many pursuits.
Tom’s sense of adventure and love for travel was shared with all those around him. He was an avid skier, boater, and long-standing member of the Lake Guntersville Yacht Club, who always enjoyed a day on the lake.
A special thanks go to Jennifer McCrary, Amedisys Hospice, and Visiting Angels for their compassionate care.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, November 6th, at Whitesburg Baptist South Campus Chapel (7300 Whitesburg Drive), with a celebration of life to follow at The Ledges (32 Castle Down Drive).
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Carolyn Payne Scholarship Fund at Lee University, PO Box 3450, Cleveland, TN, 37320 (https://www.leeuniversity.edu/give).
