TUSCALOOSA - Joel Wayne Payton, age 67, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., departed this earthly existence for eternal life on October 8, 2018. Though he had been undergoing treatment for cancer, he had been responding well and his sudden passing was unexpected. Wayne was born October 22, 1950 to the late Kathleen Wyatt Payton and Kenneth Payton in Tuscaloosa, Ala., where he lived his entire life.
Wayne is survived by his wife of 42 years, Elaine Black Payton. He also leaves behind a sister-in-law, Linda B. Johnson; brother-in-law, Chesley R. Johnson, III; special cousins, Karen Wilson, Donna Traylor, Barbara Jean Langston and Becky Chandler; as well as multiple other cousins, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and very special friends: Vicki Dobbs, Will Dobbs, Gary Oliver, Mitch Oliver and William Katz.
Wayne graduated from Tuscaloosa High School in 1968 and went on to earn his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Geology from the University of Alabama. He then worked as a geologist for 30 years before retiring due to disability. He never lost his love of geology and continued to read and study it until the last days of his life.
Wayne loved the outdoors and spent as much time in nature as possible. He was an avid photographer and specialized in nature scenes and wild bird photos.
Wayne was a lover of all kinds of music.
He loved Alabama Football and was especially proud of Coach Saban's teams for their enthusiasm, determination, class and talent. (And, of course, he cherished the Glory Days of Coaches Paul "Bears" Bryant and Gene Stallworth.)
Wayne loved animals and raised many dogs and cats over the years. He was kind and tender-hearted and will be missed by his surviving feline companions: Butters, Elvis and Huckleberry.
The family wishes to thank Dr. Matthew Thom and the staff of West Alabama Urology Associates, Dr. Pam Hughes, Dr. John Crow and the staff of the Lewis and Faye Manderson Cancer Center, Dr. Jeffrey Laubenthal and the staff of West Alabama Family Practice and Sports Medicine, and the staff of Rite Aid Pharmacy #07028 (especially Alex) for their professional guidance and compassionate attention they gave Wayne during his illness.
Special thanks to the friends and neighbors of Skyline Drive for their prayers and concerns during this difficult time.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to your favorite charity.
A memorial service to celebrate Wayne's life will be scheduled at a later date to be determined.
Final care handled by Magnolia Chapel Funeral Home South.