Joyce Payne

Joyce Grant Payne, 69, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2013, surrounded by her children at Hospice Atlanta, after a courageous battle with lung cancer. Joyce was born in Fort Benning, Ga., on Jan. 28, 1944, to her parents, Clyde and Alnita Grant. She graduated from East Ridge High School in Chattanooga and attended the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. She was employed for many years with Eastern Airlines and Apollo in airline reservation services and had many wonderful memories, stories and friends from those special years. Joyce enjoyed gardening, Neiman Marcus shoes (the only shoes that fit of course!) and was an avid reader throughout her life. Her family and friends will never forget her beauty, love and sense of humor. She is survived by her son, Christopher Morgan Payne and his wife, Christy, of Atlanta; son, Andrew Grant Payne and his wife, Stacy, of Charlotte, N.C.; son, Matthew Henderson Payne and his wife, Clare, of Atlanta; grandchildren, Emily and Morgan Payne, of Atlanta, Anne Carter and Carolyn Payne, of Charlotte, N.C., and James and Harrison Payne, of Atlanta; and brother, Donald Grant and his wife, Jo, of Lookout Mountain, Ga. A memorial service will be held in her honor at the Cathedral of St. Philip at 10 a.m. today, Nov. 20, with a reception immediately following at the church in the Gould Room. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her memory to Hospice Atlanta (www.vnhs.org) and the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org). Online condolences may be made at hmpattersonspringhill.com.