Donna Payne
1940 - 2018
Donna Joy Payne, age 78, of Provo, passed away Wednesday, October 17, 2018, while residing at the Orchard Park Post-Acute Rehab in Orem. Loving daughter of Eldon Woodruff and Melba (Sanderson) Payne, born on July 16th, 1940. She was raised, and spent most of her life in Provo, Utah. She was a graduate of Provo High, and went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts degree from BYU, majoring in Business Education.
Donna was a member of the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority and was president of the Provo Chapter in 1971 and 1972. She exemplified its motto: “Life, Learning, Friendship” and was nominated twice for the “Outstanding, Young Woman in America” award. She received prominent mention in an article in the Provo Herald when she achieved the “Certified Professional Secretary” certification, which required an intensive, two day exam. Later, while a member of “Professional Secretaries International,” she was involved in the writing committee that updated that exam.
Donna’s first secretarial job was in Washington, D.C., where she was a secretary in the Food and Drug Administration. She then moved to Salt Lake City to work as a secretary and office manager in the Family Services division of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Social Services. Later, she was employed as secretary and office manager to the Director of Computer Services, at Brigham Young University, where she eventually retired.
Donna’s brother, Mauray, whom she called “Bud,” sent her a doll from South Africa, while he was serving a church mission. This began a lifetime collection of dolls from around the world. She learned to play the piano and she loved to travel to Hawaii and Mexico and other exciting places. She was an avid BYU fan. She enjoyed having season tickets to football and basketball and rarely missed a game, often sharing this passion with family.
She grew up spending time with her cousins and had many close relationships. She was always involved in gathering the extended family together for the “Payne Family Reunion.” She was a wonderful aunt to many nieces and nephews, never forgetting any of them at Christmas. She will be greatly missed.
Our beloved aunt was preceded in death by her father, Eldon Woodruff Payne, her dear mother, Melba Sanderson Payne, her brother, Eldon Mauray Payne “Bud,” and niece Tanya Payne. She is survived by her sister-in-law Bertha Lyman (Mauray) Payne, niece Marsha (Barry) Hatch, niece Jeanette (Gaylerd) Masters, nephew Steven (Marbara) Payne, nephew Eldon (Rosemary) Payne, niece Alane (Tom) Day, niece Diana (Trent) Mehlhoff, nephew Marion “Jay” (Casey) Payne, David (Shannon) Payne and many great and great-great grand nieces and nephews, as well as cousins and friends that have loved her.
The Payne family would like to extend our gratitude to the staff at Courtyard at Jamestown Assisted Living and to Orchard Park Post-Acute Rehab for the love and kindness provided to Donna while she was in their care, and to a special nurse, Maui, who made all the difference.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, October 26, 2018 at the Berg Drawing Room Chapel, 185 East Center Street, Provo, Utah. Friends may visit with the family at the mortuary on Thursday, October 25, from 6-8:00 p.m. and Friday from 10-10:50 a.m. Interment, Provo City Cemetery. Condolences may be expressed at www.bergmortuary.com.
