Myron "Dale" Payne

Myron “Dale” Payne, born June 30, 1930, in North Platte, Nebraska, passed from this world into eternity on March 24, 2020, in Stayton, Oregon. His wife Karyle was by his side. Dale lived in North Platte until age 16 when his parents, John and Pauline Payne, moved the family to Oregon. He found work immediately at gas stations and owned a station in Yoncalla with his brother Darrell Payne. Dale always had work. He became head sawyer in one of the many sawmills in the area. Due to his math skills, his team could cut more cross beams out of a log than any mill around. As a young man Dale was attracted to the excitement of the rodeo and participated in the bucking bronco events. He later blamed what few old age aches and pains he had on the rodeo.  Dale married his youthful sweetheart, Verla Highley, in October of 1947 at the age of 17. They lived in Yoncalla, where they raised their two children, Janelle and Clayton. During this time, Dale studied for his G.E.D. and received his diploma along with his sister Vivian at her high school graduation in Yoncalla, class of 1962, at the age of 32. He went on to earn a master’s degree in education at the University of Oregon.  He lived in Cottage Grove and taught school in Dorena, Oregon. Later he attended real estate school and became a successful broker, managing his own business in Cottage Grove for several years. Dale had a good head for business and was very politically motivated, generously supporting the Southern Poverty Law Assoc., American Civil Liberties Union, Doctors without Borders, Outreach International, Graceland University, Oregon Public Broadcasting and the candidates of his choice. He was an avid reader and studied the deeper issues of theology, always ready to debate politics or theology with anyone who would listen. Dale was a member, and in earlier years served as a minister, of the Community of Christ attending in Cottage Grove and most recently in Salem.  Dale married his present wife Karyle in Hawaii on March 12, 2010. They made their home in Stayton, Oregon, where she remains.  Dale was preceded in death by his parents; wife Verla; daughter Janelle Hetherington and son-in-law Jim Hetherington; grandson David Hetherington; and siblings Darrell (Betty) Payne, Radine Rychard, and Marilyn (Perk) Parrish. He is survived by his wife Karyle; son Clayton (Kathy) Payne; youngest sister Vivian (Jerry) Nash; brother-in-law Don Rychard; grandchildren Krissy (Tim) Morgan, Laura Hetherington, Jon Hetherington, Steven Hetherington, James Hetherington, Carmen (Matt) Allan, and Nicholas (Stefanie) Payne; and 14 great-grandchildren. He also leaves step-children David (Trisha) Duer and Hannah (Kenneth) Giffen, 3 step-grandsons, and 2 step-great-grandsons.  A celebration of Dale’s life will be planned for later this summer. A special thank you to Willamette Valley Hospice for their kind and loving care and Weddle Funeral Service for your assistance and support.