Van Alan (Buddy) Payne of Rio Hondo, Texas, passed away Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020 in Harlingen, Texas, at the age of 66 years old.
Buddy was born Oct.1, 1954 in Purcell, Okla., the youngest of three children born to Preston and Alma Payne. He was raised in Purcell graduating with the Dragon Class of 1972.
Buddy started working at the age of 9 delivering newspapers, next working at the Canadian Theater and during high school at Pratt’s Grocery. After graduation Buddy moved to Oklahoma City and became a district supervisor for 7-11 Stores working there for 14 years. He then moved to Wichita Falls, Texas, and began a career working as a negotiator for a law firm.
While living in Wichita Falls he met the love of his life Sandra Lou (Terry) Payne. They were married in Purcell in 1992. For the next several years he worked for various law firms in Dallas, San Antonio, Houston and Seguin, Texas. His next career took him back to San Antonio, Schertz and Bourne, Texas, where he and Sandy managed Self Storage facilities until their retirement in 2016 when they moved to Rio Hondo in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas.
Buddy was preceded in death by his parents, Preston and Alma Payne of Purcell and his brother, Johnny Payne of Norman.
He is survived by his wife, Sandy Payne of the home in Rio Hondo; his daughter, Amy Bushee and husband, Michael, of Helotes, Texas; grandchildren, Bella and lan Gonzales and Matthew and Paige Bushee; his sister, Linda Burton and husband, Glendon, of Purcell; niece, Jill Burton Gentile of South Yarmouth Mass.; nephews, John Payne of Richardson, Texas, and Jessie and Jordan Payne of Norman, Okla.; great-nephews, Jack and Evan Terzian; great-niece,Payton Terzian along with a host of other family and lifelong friends.
No services are planned at this time.
