Obituary of Edward Payne

Edward Vivian Payne, A resident of Tumbler Ridge B.C. passed away at his home on January 16^tH 2019 at the age of 80 years.

Edward fondly known as Ned to family and Ted to his friends was born in the Brisbane Women’s Hospital in Queensland Australia on April 8,1938. Eleven months later he was given a little brother Tommy, who was to become his best mate. They didn’t have the happiest of childhoods growing up in Brisbane during the war but they were happy enough if they were together. After the war his parents went separate ways and his Mum married Thomas Payne and they moved to Newcastle New south Wales Australia as a family. After a while they moved to Stockton Australia and lived in a tent near Stockton Beach until they could find a house to live in. The house at 2 Flint Street Stockton Australia was to be his home where he lived with his Mum, Dad, Brother, Grandmother and his younger Uncle Les. He studied at Newcastle Technical High School and then at Newcastle Technical College.  He lived and had jobs as a draftsman in Maitland and Lismore New south wales Australia.                                                                                                                           

In the mid-1960s he left Sydney on the SS Canberra heading to England and Europe where he visited as many countries as he could. We lost contact with Ned from time to time sometimes for years. In 1985 he started coming back to Australia and reconnected with the family. He disappeared again from time to time, but with the help of friends he had in Canada we always managed to contact him when there were family emergencies. He actually went missing often enough that my youngest brother Ron claimed Ned was a CIA agent. I was reminded of that the other day when his neighbour told me her kids always thought Mr Payne was a spy, it really made me laugh. I don’t know a great deal about the missing years but in that time he married Karen Kirkland and became part of her family.      

What I do know is he was a great Artist he got his 1^st Special Merit for Art in 1948 in the Newcastle Sun Children’s Art Show and he continued to paint till the end. He loved woodwork and carpentry and had a great workshop in his basement.                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Ned loved cross country skiing and going on walks about. On our last trip to Tumbler Ridge he went easy on us and only took us on a short walk of 12kms, thank heavens he went easy on us. He was the sort of guy who rode his Mountain Bike 13,000kms around Australia. One day about 10years ago at age 70 he went for a short ride, loaded up with his tent, food and gigantic water bottles not telling anyone where he was headed. That short ride was from Port Stephens New south wales to Adelaide South Australia, he took the train part of the way and rode the rest. Then he did the ride home to Tanilba Bay via Mildura Victoria Australia, he rode approximately 2200kms.                                                                               

He was also a keen gardener in his later years. Ned’s garden at Tumbler Ridge was a credit to him with his water fall, fountain and bridge.                                                                                                                                                                       

The greatest loves of his life were Mountains, lakes, waterfalls, art galleries and museums. Uncle Ned as he was known to us loved kids, especially his nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews as well as his great-great nieces and nephews.

Edward Vivian Payne was a very special guy, all the Payne family loved him as I’m sure his Canadian friends did as well.

With respect to NED’s wishes no formal funeral service will be held at this time.

Very respectfully Reynars Funeral home and Crematorium.