By Linnea Ransom

On Jan 6^th, 1912, Alfred Lewis Payne was born on Dutchtown Rd. in Ouquaga, NY. On Jan 3^rd, 2012, Rev. A. Lewis Payne celebrated his 100^th birthday with over 75 family members and friends at the Windsor Community House in Windsor, NY, mere minutes from his birthplace.

In the intervening 100 years, Rev. Payne has accomplished a multitude of things and been a part of many people’s lives.   He was married for 71 years to his dear wife, Kathryn Stoutenburgh, who attended the same church he did for many years as they grew up. She passed away in August of 2008 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Rev. Payne says that “She was a true and blessed help-mate.”

Payne’s parents were Rev. James E. Payne and Nellie Myer Payne, pastors of the Windsor Free Methodist Church from 1906 to 1911.  James was 72 years old and Nellie was 40 when Lewis was born; James having been widowed.  Interestingly enough, James, who was born in 1840, voted for the re-election of President Abraham Lincoln.

After graduating from Windsor High School as a salutatorian in 1932, Lewis attended Eastern Nazarene College in Wollaston, MA. He graduated from there with an AB degree in philosophy in 1936.  He then married Kathryn on Oct 21, 1936 at the East Windsor Pilgrim Holiness Church. The two of them traveled down on their honeymoon to Rev. Payne’s first pastorate at the Free Methodist Church at 2332 N. 9^th St. in Philadelphia, PA.  Their first son, Donald was born there.

From there, the family was a part of many pastorates in NY, NJ and PA for the better part of 40 years.  Their daughter, Joan and two more sons, Richard and David were added to the family. Over time, the Payne family has grown from four kids to six grandchildren to six great-grandchildren, along with their spouses. 

 Rev. Payne was elected District Superintendent and Conference Superintendent in between pastorates.  He was also a member for 24 years and for the last five of those years, a chairman of the board of trustees for Heritage Village, a retirement home for missionaries and pastors at Gerry, NY.  While there, he drew up the blueprint sketches for two new apartment buildings with the cooperation of the manager, Rev. Harold Schwab.

He has also conducted revival meetings throughout his ministry with chalk talks, where the artist draws with chalk while talking about what they are drawing.  At the end of the talk, the artist will shine a black light on the painting and a hidden picture will appear. This specialty was something that Rev. Payne has continued over the years, an extension of his many artistic talents and his ability to paint or draw almost anything. During his birthday party, Rev. Payne donated a painting to the Windsor Senior Center showing one of the many pluses of his character, his generous nature.

During the party, Rev. Jerry Terry, from Calvary’s Love in Johnson City, NY, spoke about how Rev. Payne shows the Love of God: “You have been his hands, his heart, his love reaching out to others. Thank you for showing us what a godly man looks like. What a Dad. What a brother. What a grandpa. What a great-grandpa.”  He prayed God’s blessings over Rev. Payne, asking some people to lay their hands on him, praying that God would continue to use him in the remaining years he had left.  

Rev. Esther Terry, also from Calvary’s Love, shared some of her memories of working alongside Rev. Payne at various outreach meetings. She said that at one meeting a bat flew into the room while she was speaking and Rev. Payne was more than willing to help chase it out of the room.  “We looked up to you and your family, “Esther said, “Most of all, for your relationship with Jesus Christ. I know that is the secret of your strength.”

"He was always a good example. Someone you could look up to and someone you could try to be like and inspire to,” said his daughter, Joan Delong.  After 25 years in the Civil Service, Joan and her husband retired in Maryland.  They tried to ask Rev. Payne to move down with them to no avail as his schedule here is so busy.  “He’s just amazing. He’s always there for you,” Joan said.

Leslie Payne, Lewis’ daughter-in-law, explained that, “The thing that impressed me is his wiliness to adapt to the times and learn.” When Lewis entered his 90’s, the family gave him a computer and told him, “Welcome to the new age.” To this day, he still gets online every day.  Leslie explained also that although Rev. Payne remembers the past, he stays in the present, always learning about the age that he is in.  She had asked him what he was reading recently and Lewis told her that he was in the middle of a theological study of a particular topic, and showed her the stack of books he was looking through. “He’s an example of life-long learner,” Leslie said.

 After officially retiring, Rev. Payne pastored for five more years at a church in PA and then supplied pulpits for various independent churches. Kathryn and he moved back to the Dutchtown address where Rev. Payne had been born and became charter members of the Windsor Multipurpose Senior Citizens Center in 1977.  The original farmhouse had burned down, but the couple moved into a home built on the old foundation, according to Loretta Tolleson, a long time friend and organizer of Rev. Payne’s birthday party.

 Rev. Payne still lives there today, next door to his son, Donald and daughter-in-law, Debbie. He is actively involved with two churches, the Windsor Free Methodist church, where he preaches on the first Sunday of the month at the communion service and at the Occanum Community Church, he is the Pastor Emeritus (an honorary title for a retired pastor).

Rev. Kevin Rollo, pastor of Windsor Free Methodist Church and the emcee of the birthday party shared some of his perspectives of his co-worker:  “Rev. Payne is like bringing a lamp into a dark room, he just lights it up. He is one of the kindest, gentlest, tender hearted, soft spoken people I know. He loves Jesus with all his heart and that is reflected in his love and compassion for people. You wouldn't know he is 100. He has that little child-like glimmer in his eyes. I believe he rejoices in the long life he has had. He celebrates life and cherishes every moment. I know that the loss of his wife Kathryn and others along the way has been difficult, yet he does not live in the past. He remembers the treasures of the past and celebrates the joys of the present.”

Rev. Payne’s son, Richard, retired from the Air Force, and also a Maryland resident, praises his father, “The word that I always think of is ‘Renascence Man’.  He could do almost anything -numerous musical instruments -could design and build buildings -great speaker and motivator. As a father he was intelligent and patient.”

Speaking of her father-in-law, Debbie Payne, married to David Payne, said, “I have loved this man for 42 years of my life. But even before that, I was blessed to see him at camp at all of his chalk drawings and paintings of all kinds. He is such a kind, peaceful man, filled with wisdom and love. I have never seen him unkind to anyone in all the years I have known him. He attended college years ago - never been in the military - but served his time in the Army of the Lord. He has touched scores and scores for the kingdom of the Lord. He is a man of his word, always the same behind closed doors as in public.  He is always there to give a word of advice or prayer to anyone who needs it. I am blessed to call him my father-in-law and I love him deeply.”

Other friends at the party also shared about the impression Rev. Payne has made on them. Ginny Pompeii, a member of the Windsor Seniors group, said “He never ceases to amaze me.” She talked about how although she has only known him for four years that throughout that time, she noticed his awesome sense of humor and his talents musically and artistically.  “He still dresses up for Halloween,” she said.

For Rev. Payne, this birthday is merely another milestone, not a signal for the man who has been called the Energizer Bunny to slow down.  This past Sunday, he was again preaching at the Windsor Free Methodist Church’s 9 AM service.

When asked what he would tell the younger people that they need, Rev. Payne responded, “Faith. In the kind of times we live - faith in the Supreme Power.”