Bernice Faye (Pitcher) Payne, 94, of Troy, Ohio passed away January 17, 2019 at Genesis Troy Center. She was born in Endicott, NY on June 14, 1924, the daughter of Lawrence and Mattie Pitcher. She worked as a teacher’s aide at Oak Grove Elementary School in Durham County Schools in North Carolina. She was an active supporter of ARC in Durham County being recognized for her services to the organization with the Volunteer of the Year award in 1987 and an award in recognition of her exceptional service to the organization in 1992. She was also an active supporter of the Durham County Community Living Program. She loved to cross-stitch and created many samplers for family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents and two husbands, Jack H. Olson (killed in action in Europe in WWII) and Richard C. Payne (also a veteran of WWII). She was also preceded in death by her son, John Thomas Payne. She is survived by her daughter, Jackie Arn of Fern Park, FL; son, Douglas Olson of Roanoke, VA; daughter-in-law, Angelia Payne of Burlington, NC; son, Kermit (Ada) Payne of Troy, OH; daughter, Charlotte Payne of Durham, NC; sister, Norma Jean Wilcox of Binghamton, NY, brother, Dick Pitcher of Zephyrhills, FL; numerous nieces and nephews, 11 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.
The memorial service will be conducted at Hall-Wynne Funeral Service in Durham, North Carolina on Saturday, February 23 at 12 noon with the family receiving friends from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon. Memorials may be made to the Durham County Community Living Program, PO Box 51159, Durham, NC, 27717 or to Miami Valley Chapter of Alzheimer’s Association, 31 W. Whipp Rd., Dayton, OH 45459.
Cindy Minus
To family of Aunt Bern, my thoughts and prayers are with you all. I have some very fond memories of Aunt Bern and Uncle Dick and family that i will hold close to my heart. So may she Sleep in Peace And know she was loved
Hazel Watson
You are in my heart and prayers in the lots of your beloved mother. May God wrap His loving arms around you and comfort you and the whole family.
Graham Olson
I love you and miss you Grandmom! I couldn’t be more proud of you and what you taught me and the rest of us. Your love of family and support didn’t go unnoticed! I want to thank you again for the homemade cookies and the note you and Paw-Paw sent with them when I was deployed to the Persian Gulf while on active duty in the Navy in 1997! Talk about a game changer in our morale but this is what you always did. Fly high!