Obituary of Donald Neil Payne

Donald Neil Payne was born Aug. 22, 1940, in Stettler, Alberta, the fourth child of Gladys and Richard Payne. Neil grew up on his parent’s dairy farm near Botha, one of nine brothers and sisters. He attended the Botha School before taking his Grade 12 in Red Deer. Afterwards he went to SAIT in Calgary for his Electrical Engineering Diploma, where he met his wife Jean Francis Neil. They dated for a year before marrying in her home town of Grande Prairie on June 29, 1963. The pair lived in Grande Prairie for a year while Neil worked with Canadian Utilities as a lineman, after which they moved to Fort McMurray where he worked with Alberta Power. Sons Douglas Neil and Dean Andrew were born in there in 1963 and 1964. In 1966 Neil took an opportunity to work with Edmonton Power where he worked up his way to be metering foreman in a career that spanned 39 years. They enjoyed a home in Edmonton’s Patricia Heights area, the boys attending the nearby Patricia Heights School until Neil and Jean purchased an acreage in Beau Vista Estates near Beaumont, building a home and moving there in 1977. Between working in Edmonton and tinkering at his acreage, Neil built and developed a farming operation near his parent’s original homestead in Botha, eventually amassing seven quarter-sections of farmland where he was most content to grow peas, wheat and canola as well as raise a small herd of beef cattle - his “grassers,” as he liked to call them. Even after retiring from Edmonton Power and surviving a kidney transplant, the idea of working on farm equipment, seeding, harvesting, and caring for his cattle - with all the regular challenges those jobs entailed - was Neil’s definition of “fun.” Neil’s greatest pride and joy was also his four grandchildren, Chad, Deanna, Thomas and Emily Payne, who also helped Grandpa in his farming duties. “Going to the farm this weekend” was often the answer when asked what their weekend plans were. Sadly, on Sept. 27, 2017, Neil suffered a heart attack at the Red Deer Hospital, where he had been recovering from a minor stroke a week previous. He passed peacefully in the hospital, his family at his bedside. Neil is preceded in death by his mother, father and brother George Payne. Neil is survived by his wife Jean Payne; sons Douglas and Dean (Nicole); four grandchildren: Chad (Cassandra), Deanna, Thomas and Emily; siblings: David (Judy), Charles (Sue), Keith (Beth), Allen (Alma), Sharon (Joe), Gail and Gaye; other family and friends. Celebration of Neil’s Life 1:00 PM on October 3, 2017 Short program at 1:30 Stettler Funeral Home Stettler, Alberta Memorial Donations may be made to Alberta Kidney Foundation.