Geoffrey Ian Payne

Geoffrey Ian Payne, born May 30, 1937, was called to his heavenly home with Jesus on Sunday, July 30, 2023, while residing in NHC Healthcare of Dickson, TN. He was 86 years old.

Geoff was born in Calcutta, India to Ralph William Payne and Norah Young Payne. After graduating from La Martiniere in Calcutta at the age of 16, still waiting for his family’s name to be called from the list to emigrate to America, he left India to study at the West Ham College of Technology in London, England. In 1955, after spending a year in London, he and his father were able to finally achieve their dream to emigrate to America. His mother, Norah, died in India.

Geoffrey worked his way through college, became a US citizen in 1961, and graduated from the University of Missouri in 1962 with a degree in Electrical Engineering.  He went to work for the Department of Water and Power in Los Angeles and over the next several decades would work as product marketing manager for power capacitors at General Electric (Pittsfield, MA and Hickory, NC), Sangamo Electric (Pickens, SC), and Shlumberg Electric (Atlanta, GA). Traveling all over the world and throughout the US through business and life circumstances allowed him exciting and rich cultural experiences. However, longing to have more time at home and be closer to extended family, he left the engineering world and moved to Rutherford, TN to develop Payne Steel Erectors until he retired.

As wonderful as citizenship in the United State was for Geoff, he will be the first to tell anyone that his true Statue of Liberty is the Cross where salvation through Christ set his soul free. He was a member of several Baptist churches in the various places he’s lived, sang in choir, taught Men’s Sunday School, and was a member of the Gideons International.

Geoff loved his family very much and was always interested in their lives. His passions were spreading the Gospel, hunting, traveling, well-seasoned and diverse food, taking pictures, good music, learning and speaking several languages, and telling life stories.

Proceeded in death are his parents; his beautiful wife, Lynn Dement Payne; and his precious son, Randy Coleman.

He is survived by his son, Mike Payne; his daughter, Stacey (Craig) Smith of Dickson, TN; his son, Brian (Lisa) Coleman of Milan, TN; his daughter in law, Janna Coleman Layne; nine grandchildren, Ian Smith, Tate (Nathan) Smith McMeans, Lauren Coleman, Daniel Coleman, Luke Coleman, Adelyn Coleman, Adam Coleman, Andrew Coleman, Addison Coleman; and one great-grandchild, Evelyn. He is also survived by his sister, Joan Moss of Las Vegas, NV; and Colleen Payne Savedra of London, England; as well as several nieces and nephews, who also loved him dearly.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his honor to Gideons International and LWF Ministries (Dr. Adrian Rodgers) at lwf.org.