Obituary of Lucy Harrison Payne
Lucy Harrison Payne of Lynchburg died Tuesday, March 17, 2009, at Westminster-Canterbury. "Duchie", as she was fondly known, was born
in Lynchburg, December 31, 1915, to the late Daniel Allen Payne and Mary Norvell
Miller Payne.
Aunt to seven nieces and
nephews, fourteen great nieces and nephews, and eleven great, great nieces and
nephews, Duchie was a wonder to her family and friends. There simply wasn't
anything or anyone she did not know something about. Her years of working in
Millner's Department Store and later Buckingham-Flippin jewelry store prepared
her for her lifelong role of family chronicler and community connector. Whether
it was a china pattern, a favorite piece of jewelry, a birth date, a death, a
wedding, or even a recent visit from out-of-town company, Duchie remembered it
all and shared it gladly and often. Many of the women in her family and many of
her friends wear pieces of jewelry Duchie passed on to them, always with a
written account of to whom it had belonged and why it was special -- and in
some cases, even its value!
She was generous with her
advice and her opinion, always in a ladylike, civil manner. She wanted to make
sure that those she loved knew where they came from, who they were related to,
and how and why it mattered.
Her remarkable memory, her
penchant for fun and mischief, and her uncanny ability to connect unsuspecting
people to one another through family relationships or social occasions will be
missed.
She adored her immediate
family and never missed an opportunity to say so. In fact, she never missed an
opportunity to say anything, but that is why she was loved by many. In addition
to being the family matriarch, Duchie was a member of the Junior League of
Lynchburg and the Servamus Club. She was a lifelong member of St. John's Episcopal Church, where her father was among the founding
members. For much of her life she was
an active member of the Episcopal Church Women and the St. John's choir. She was one of the longest-living residents of
the Williams Home before moving, a short time ago, to
Westminster-Canterbury.
Duchie is survived by her
nieces and nephews: Mary Norvell Millner
Thomson and her husband, Clay, of Lynchburg; H. Victor Millner Jr. and his
wife, Lane, of Chatham; Daniel Allen Payne II and his wife, Vivian; Joseph P.
L. Payne and his wife, Katherine; Nancy Payne Strosnider and her husband, Mark,
all of Lynchburg; Mary Margaret Payne Little and her husband, Downs, of
Lottsburg; and a cousin, Jane Baber White and her husband, Kenneth, also of
Lynchburg, and their families.
Duchie was preceded in death
by two sisters, Mary Norvell Payne Millner and Elizabeth Payne Carter; a
brother, John Miller Payne; and a nephew, Nelson W. Carter Jr.
Following a private interment
in Spring Hill Cemetery, a memorial service will be held Saturday, March 21,
2009, at 1l:00 a.m. at St. John's Episcopal Church with The Rev. Michael R.
Sullivan, The Rev. Robert K. Marshall, and The Rev. Diane Vie officiating.
Memorial contributions may be
made to St. John's Episcopal Church, The Williams Home,
Westminster-Canterbury, Lynchburg
or the charity of your choice.
Diuguid Funeral Service-Wiggington Chapel ( 385-8900 ) is serving the family.