Jim Harwood Payne

JIM HARWOOD PAYNEClemson, SCJim Harwood Payne of Clemson, SC (formerly Lawrenceville, GA) died on November 22, 2015 at the age of 80. Born January 26, 1935, in Meriwether County, GA, he was the son of the late Jesse William Payne and Lillian Cook Payne. He attended Southwest DeKalb High School in Decatur, GA becoming one of the school’s first scholarship athletes. Jim was a 3 year letterman at Clemson University playing in both the 1957 Orange Bowl and the 1959 Sugar Bowl. Jim married Nancy Wagner, of Dayton, OH on August 12, 1961 settling in Decatur Georgia. He worked nearly 40 years in the Construction industry specializing in the engineering and design of custom concrete forming and shoring equipment. In 1985 he founded JPS and in 1999, he sold the business and retired to Clemson, SC where he took up golf becoming a member at the Walker Course and enjoyed painting in his home studio. He was frequently spotted six mornings per week with his coffee group at Bojangle’s. He is survived by his wife, Nancy Wagner, of fifty-four years; son Danny Payne and wife Anamaria; daughter Beth Payne Blakeman and husband Jess; and son Chris Payne and wife Leslie. He leaves ten grandchildren: Jessica, Joseph, Andrew, Caroline, Victoria, Lydia, Stephen, Thomas Payne, and Hunter and Paige Blakeman, and one great-grandchild, Mason DeJiacomo. Jim was predeceased by five older siblings: Mildred Oaks, Annie Jo Townsend, Daphne Adams, Jesse Payne and Sally Sitton. Memorial Service will be held at 11 AM, Friday, Dec. 4, 2015 at Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home in Central, SC. In Lieu of flowers, please donate to the Alzheimer’s Association or the Cottingham House in Seneca, SC.Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or at the funeral home.