Michael Jo Payne, 65, of Kaw City, Oklahoma, went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on March 30, 2024.

Mike was born on May 14, 1958, to Larry Payne and Shirley Bramlett Payne in Ponca City, Oklahoma. Mike attended school at Bible Baptist then went to seminary school in Illinois. After coming back from Illinois Mike kickstarted his mechanic career with Heater Tech and ended his career with the City of Ponca City. He had been employed with the City of Ponca City for 35 years when he retired.

While going to school at Bible Baptist Mike met Grace Annette Rutherford. They began dating when they were teenagers then married in October of 1978. Mike and Annette went on to have two daughters, Amanda Michele and Jennifer Jolise.

In August of 2020 Mike retired from the City of Ponca City. He spent the last few years of his life living on the farm with his daughter Amanda and her three sons, Tucker, Rowdy and Stockton. Mike was known to his grandsons and many others as Pappy. Mike loved to fish and hunt. He was most happy being outside with his grandsons working on something or teaching them how to fix stuff. Mike could fix anything, and he wanted the boys to be able to do the same. Mike raced stock cars at Enid Speedway as well as other racetracks in Oklahoma and Kansas. Stock car racing was a family affair. Annette and the girls would help Mike get the car ready each race season. Mike was a family man. Whatever he was doing, he wanted his family to be present. Mike’s outreach wasn’t just his immediate family. If you knew Pappy, you were his family.

Mike was predeceased by his wife Annette, father Larry Payne, mother Shirley Payne, brother Chris Payne, and mother-in-law Jackie Rutherford, as well as uncles Jim Payne and Sonny Payne. He is survived by his two daughters Amanda Payne Barber and Jennifer Payne, as well as his grandsons Tucker Jordan, Rowdy Barber and Stockton Payne, his brother Evan and wife Gina Payne, niece Vanessa Payne and great niece Lyra, nephew Joey and wife Haleigh Payne, also uncle’s Max Payne and wife Sue, and Dale Payne, Aunt Mary Owens and husband Tom and numerous cousins.

Services will be held at Central Baptist Church on April 20, 2024, at 2pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to First National Bank of Oklahoma in Amanda Barber’s name or the virtual donation at www.gofundme. com in Amanda Barber’s name.

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