Katharine D. Payne

Katharine Payne, 92, of Alcoa, passed away Monday, February 7, 2011, at Blount Memorial Hospital. She was born Allie Katharine Denton to parents Lilly Alice Moses Denton and John Turley Denton, on July 20, 1918, in Pinehurst, TN. Leaving this life before her were husband Paul Raymond Payne, Jr., son David Denton Payne, sister Mildred Denton White and brother Lynn Miller White. Survivors are daughter Ellen Payne and grandson Chris Dixon. She was an avid reader until her failing eyesight made that no longer possible. To ease the difficulty of living without books, her dear friend and caregiver Julie Leavitt helped to keep alive that joy of discovery through reading for the last 5 years of Katharine’s life. Katharine was a long-time member and supporter of Broadway Baptist Church in Maryville. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation (www.macular.org) or to the library at Broadway Baptist Church. We will miss you. Funeral service will be at 2:00 PM, Friday, February 11, 2011 at Smith West Chapel with Rev. Tony Collins and Rev. David Webster officiating. Interment will be at Sherwood Memorial Gardens. Friends may call at their convenience Thursday, February 10, 2011 at the funeral home. Smith Funeral & Cremation Service, Maryville, 865-983-1000. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Katharine D. Payne please visit our Sympathy Store.