Leo 'Nooter' Payne

       Leo “Nooter” Payne  84, of Comer, Kentucky went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, March 12, 2019 at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital.  Leo Everett Payne was born July 13, 1934 in Daviess County, Kentucky to the late Louis and Myrtle Miller Payne, was married to the former Sharon Gayle Jewell March 7, 1976 and was known as “Nooter” to both his family and friends.  Leo started working at Cantex in Owensboro, where he stayed for several years.  He started work at Anaconda Aluminum in Robards in June of 1978 and worked there for many years as he saw it change from Anaconda, Arco, Alcan, Rio Tinto, and finally Century Aluminum, when he retired in January of 2000.  Leo was an outstanding person who was always ready to lend a hand.  He played basketball for the West Louisville Indians and for the Beech Grove Gorillas.  Leo was a member of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels under the hand of Governor Wallace G. Wilkinson, an Honorary Ambassador of Labor by the state of Kentucky and was very active in the United Way.  Leo loved launching his boat at Curdsville and Rangers Landing.  He was a master of trot line and net fishing and had a gift of making his own fishing bait, a secret he would never share.  He loved deer and coon hunting, football, the outdoors, BBQ’s, spending time with family and friends, and was an avid U.K. fan.  Leo also greatly loved his farm on Highway 56, where he spent most of his retirement years and his Oliver Tractor was by far his favorite.

       Survivors include his wife of 43 years, Sharon Payne; a daughter, Linda Winfield (Wayne) of Owensboro; a brother, James “Boots” Payne of Tallahassee, Florida; several grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins, who loved him and enjoyed having him in their lives.

       Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M. Saturday at Muster Funeral Homes, Calhoun Chapel with the Rev. James Wedding officiating.  Burial will be in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery near Elba in McLean County.  Friends may visit with Leo’s family from 4:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. Friday and from 9:00 A.M. until 10:00 A.M. Saturday at Musters in Calhoun.

       The Leo Payne family requests that expressions of sympathy take the form of donations to Pleasant Hill Cemetery Fund; C/O Jerry Rager; 10685 Possum Trot Road; Owensboro, Kentucky  42301.  Memorial contribution envelopes will be available at Musters in Calhoun.

       Share your memories and photos of Leo at musterfuneralhomes.com.

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