At 5:07 pm, on December 17, 2017, surrounded by his wife Connie and sons, Tony Eugene Payne, left his earthly body and the AML leukemia that had ravaged it, traveled home to heaven. Tony was born on his mother’s birthday, September 15, 1940, in Polk, MO, to Dennis James and Reona Marie (Barnes) Payne. He was saved at an early age at Sentinel Missionary Baptist Church. After a few years of residing in Polk and Bolivar, the family moved to a farm in Dunnegan, MO, where they raised thousands of turkeys and cattle.
Tony attended school at both Dunnegan and Fair Play graduating with the class of 1958. He was quite active, in school participating in FFA, Softball, and basketball and getting into a lot of mischief with his old friends Vester and Wendell. He sometimes had to either walk the 5 miles to school, or ride his horse because his “antics” got him kicked off the school bus.
After graduation, Tony moved to Bolivar and has resided here since that time. During his life time, he held several jobs but worked from 1976 until his retirement in 2010, for Polk County Concrete in Bolivar and Conco Companies in Nixa, MO. For over 60 years, he fought insulin dependent Diabetes, and did so without any complaints. There was never a stronger or harder worker than Tony Payne. There was no job he would not tackle often finishing the concrete work for customers when he would make his deliveries to them. Tony was also quite “adept” around his home, as witnessed by the MANY Shelves that line the walls of his garage and shop. His boys often said that Dad could fix anything with black tape, duct tape, zip-ties, and spike nails and it shows in both places.
Tony had a life-long love of fast cars and motor “sickles” as he would call them and had many motor “sickles” during his lifetime. He was still wanting another one during his retirement years, but Connie thought it was probably time to give up that idea. One time he took Connie on a “little ride” across the Nemo Bridge, on Pomme de Terre Lake, at 126 miles per hour. Tony also thought that Toyota was the only brand going and black was the only color going witnessed by the daily “dusting and spit shines” of his black Toyota Tundra.
He is preceded in death by his parents; a nephew Gregory Marlyn Payne; a sister in-law Shirley Laird; and a niece Shelly Laird.
Tony is survived by his wife of 47 years Connie; five sons: Mark Payne and wife Janelle of Bolivar, MO, Jamie Payne of Wheatland, MO, Jeff Payne and wife Kim of Bolivar, MO, Josh Payne of Springfield, MO, and Jordan Payne and wife Tedi of El Dorado Springs, MO; seven grandchildren: Natalie Payne and husband Shaun, Brayden Payne and wife Brittanie, Mary Beth Payne, Mason Payne, Mia Payne, Jovi Payne, and Nicholas “Nix” Payne; five great grandchildren: Brody, Ari, Baker, Alix, and Donovan; one brother Marlyn Payne and wife Barbara of Joplin, MO; a sister Marquita Gravely and husband Ben of Bolivar, MO; a special aunt Earlene Pitts of Bolivar, MO; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM Thursday, December 21, 2017, at Pitts Chapel with Bro. Efton Piper officiating. Burial will follow at Greenwood Cemetery Bolivar, MO. Visitation will be held Wednesday, December 20, 2017, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM in the funeral home. Online condolences may be made at: www.greenlawnfuneralhome.com. Memorial contributions may be made the American Diabetes Association, or to AML Leukemia research c/o Barnes Jewish Hospital St. Louis, MO. Arrangements have been entrusted to Pitts Chapel Bolivar, MO.