Mary Elizabeth Payne

Mary Elizabeth Payne

1925 – 2020

Mary Payne, wife, mother, community organizer, volunteer, girl scout leader, church elder, and so much more. Mary died at home on Tuesday July 21, 2020 at 10:40am. She lived 95 mostly spectacular years and left a substantial legacy of friends and family. She has been described as the most gracious and strongest person.

Mary Elizabeth Phillips was born January 9, 1925 in the coal country of southern West Virginia to George Sr and Sarah Phillips. She was in the middle of four boys and four girls. Mary left West Virginia when she joined the US Army’s Women’s Army Corps during World War II. She eventually rose to the rank of Sargent and was stationed in a hospital in California.

There at the Army base she met her husband Joseph C. Payne Jr., who was a Lieutenant in administration in the same hospital. They were married on base June 28, 1946. After completing their service, they moved back to Illinois where Joseph finished his degree in education. Eventually, they settled in Indianapolis where in addition to keeping the house and raising their children, she became involved in the Girl Scouts and the Presbyterian Church. She was very active in the league of Women Voters and attended and served as an officer at many PTA meetings. In 1985, Mary was one of ten Hoosiers to receive the Indianapolis Star’s Indiana Jefferson Award for public service. She was recognized for her work with the Girl Scouts and the American Field Service youth exchange program.

Mary did many of her volunteer activities while working including as a secretary for the Labor News, the local Presbytery, and Christian Church Disciples of Christ. Even into her 80’s she worked as a special education assistant for the Indianapolis Public Schools.

She was a Girl Scout leader for several decades including organizing Camporees and training activities. She was one of the founders of the Scout-Abouts and its first president. She and her good friend Marcie Kalp helped establish a Girl Scout Camp on the east side of Indianapolis with land donated by Kalp’s Aunt.

Mary’s involvement in the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) extended from the time of their move to Indianapolis until her death. She was one of the few female Ruling Elders when she was first ordained and continued to serve the church at local, regional, and national levels. She served on the Sessions of every church she was a member of and became the Moderator of the Synod of Lincoln Trails in the early 1980’s. She also served on the national church’s General Assembly Committee on Representation (equity and diversity) for many years. She was most recently a member of Southminster Presbyterian Church Indianapolis, Indiana.

Mary was predeceased by her husband, son-in-law Billy Davenport, parents, and all her siblings. Survivors include her three children, Christina Jo Burgis and Steven William Payne both of Indianapolis and James Matthew Payne of Minnesota, son-in-law Gvido Burgis, and daughters-in-law Kiann and Susan. She was loved by ten grandchildren and seventeen great grandchildren.

Donations in Mary’s name can be made to the Girl Scouts of Central Indiana or the Whitewater Valley Presbytery.