Edward Payne

Ed Payne served his country in the U.S. Army and served local athletics for more than a decade at Kankakee and Eastridge high schools.On Saturday, Payne, the former Kankakee High School Athletic Director and U.S. Army veteran died at Provena Heritage Village.Payne's career with the Kankakee School District spanned 24 years, starting in 1968. He became the athletic director at Eastridge High School in 1979. In 1983, he became AD at Kankakee High School when Eastridge and Westview merged. He retired in 1992."Mr. Payne was a great man. He always called things the way they were, he didn't try to B.S. things," said Alec Anderson, who was named to head basketball coach at Kankakee High School during Payne's tenure. "He was always well prepared and did the job well."Like the man who gave him his start, Anderson is now a high school athletic director. He serves as the AD at Evanston Township High School."The thing I always remembered about Ed was he had the five Ps -- prior planning prevents poor performance," Anderson said.For Payne, the five Ps were more than just a slogan, Anderson said. They were also how he did his job, and Anderson said he tries to do the same in his work.In addition to his work with the school district, Payne also served a total of 27 years in the U.S. Army. Nine of those years Payne was on active duty and 18 he was in the Army reserves."Major Payne" was how Payne was referred to by former Kankakee High School Principal Odie Jordan because he was an officer in the Army Reserves.Jordan said he was very pleased when Payne accepted the AD position, "because he was a man who not only was committed and dedicated to working with young boys and girls. I knew he was a person who was going to add an extra dimension to my athletic department."Jordan said Payne "was a very cheerful, proud individual." Whenever Payne was given assignments they were always fulfilled in a very professional manner and he never seemed hesitant to take on new challenges, Jordan said. Visitation for Edward Eugene Payne, 73, of Bourbonnais, will be from 4-8 p.m. today at the Clancy-Gernon Funeral Home, Bourbonnais, where funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday. Rev. Christopher Sheets will officiate.Burial will be in Kankakee Memorial Gardens.Memorials may be made to Hospice of Kankakee Valley.Mr. Payne died Saturday (Feb. 12, 2005) at Provena Heritage Village in Kankakee.He was born July 28, 1931 in Lexington, Mo., the son of Clyde and Laura Rogers Payne.He was a retired coach and Athletic Director of Kankakee High School.His first wife, Lorraine, died in 1991.Surviving are his wife, the former Mildred Shutts of Bourbonnais, whom he married Nov. 11, 1994 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Kankakee; four sons and daughters-in-law, Michael and Deborah Payne of Kankakee, Thomas and Rebecca Payne of Bourbonnais, Bruce and Kim Payne of St. Peters, Mo., and Alex and Monica Payne of Sammamish, Wash.; 10 grandchildren; one sister and brother-in-law, Karen and Charles Hall of Piedmont, S.D.; and one brother and sister-in-law, Clifford and Laurie Payne of Missouri.Mr. Payne was a graduate of Truman University.He was a retired Major in the U.S. Army.He was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, and enjoyed all sports.

Edward Payne

July 28, 1931 - February 12, 2005