William G. Payne 1938-2008

MCDONNELL, PAYNE, KELLY, CLANCY, BERGFELD, GINTER, JOHNSON, WILLIS, BLATZ

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 5/4/2008 at 08:51:41

William G. Payne

William G. "Billy" Payne, 69, of 8311 Hidden Valley Road, died Tuesday, March 11, 2008, at home.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday, March 17, at St. Joseph Church, Key West, Iowa, with the Rev. Donald Bakewell officiating. Burial will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Key West. Friends may call from 1 to 7 p.m. Sunday, March 16, at Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory, 2595 Rockdale Road, where there will be a wake service at 12:30 p.m.

He was born on July 13, 1938, in Dubuque, son of Joseph Francis and Helen (McDonnell) Payne. He married Karen Kelly on April 5, 1961, at St. Mary's Church. He graduated from St. Columbkille's High School in 1956.

He served in the Army Reserve for 6 years. He worked for the former Dubuque Packing Company for 28 years, where he was a foreman in the bacon department. He farmed for many years, and he and Karen owned and operated Graceland Tavern for 20 years.

Bill loved his family and his friends, who were like family. They made his blue eyes shine. Bill was known in several counties either by farming or by his card playing. Both were remembered with some colorful language.

Bill loved the outdoors, hunting of all kinds, and his sons and grandchildren carry on his tradition.

There are no words that can convey the void we feel but we wish our husband, dad, grandpa, brother and friend the place he truly ached for. Power X!!

Surviving are his wife, Karen; four children, Mike (Andrea) Payne, of Otter Creek, Sheri (Patrick) Clancy, of Dubuque, Kim (Bernie) Bergfeld, of Bernard, and Mark (Angie) Payne, of Cascade; thirteen grandchildren; four sisters, Ann (Jack) Ginter, of Le Mars, Iowa, Mary Johnson, Ellen (Dave) Willis and Sheila (Larry) Blatz, all of Dubuque; four brothers, Jerry (Bea) Payne, of Dubuque, Jack (Betty) Payne, of Riverside, Calif., Tim (Myra) Payne, of Fullerton, Calif., and Ray (Colleen) Payne, of Key West.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and a sister, Rita.

The family wishes to thank Dr. John Viner, Dr. Ronald Schope and the nurses and staff at the Pain Clinic for all their kind care they gave to Bill.

Copyright (c) Woodward Communications, Inc. 2008, All Rights Reserved. March 14, 2008