Gene Payne

Gene Payne passed away September 23rd at age 95. He was born January 23, 1926, in Chattanooga, TN to Mose and Pearl Payne. He was a proud graduate of Chattanooga Central High School where he was a class officer and was an outstanding football player for the Purple Pounders. Upon graduation at age 18, Gene joined the U.S. Army and served his country for 26 months in World War II where he was a Tech Sergeant for the 100th Infantry Division, 7th Army in Southern France and Germany. Upon returning home he graduated from the University of Chattanooga with a BS Degree in Geology.
He married the love of his life, June Cross, April 10, 1949, who preceded him in death in 2013. Together they raised four sons: Gary, Alan, David, and Robert, all of whom survive him. Gene spent many years in the oil fields of Texas and later worked for the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, which built the Alaska Pipeline, one of the largest construction projects in history. He and June returned to their native Tennessee in 1988 and spent the rest of their years in Cleveland where they were active members of the Central Church of Christ.
Burial will be Monday, October 4th in the Chattanooga National Cemetery at 10:30am with full military honors. The service will be livestreamed and can be viewed on his memorial webpage on the funeral home website or on the funeral hone Facebook page.
You are encouraged to share a memory or Gene and/or your personal condolences with his family by visiting his memorial webpage and guestbook at www.companionfunerals.com. Companion Funeral Home and the Cody family are honored to assist his family with these arrangements.