Obit: Payne, Rodney LeRoy (1960 - 2022)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Payne, Howe, Contreras, Davel, Vargas, Madrigal, Zimmermann, Piesz, Raschka, Fazel, Lynse, Kuhlik, Denman, Clark

----Source: Marshfield News-Herald (Marshfield, Wood Co., WI) 2/20/2022

Payne, Rodney LeRoy (11 June 1960 – 10 February 2022) With Flag

Rodney LeRoy Payne, 61, passed away in Las Vegas on February 10, 2022, doing the job that he loved. He was born on June 11, 1960, in Baraboo and grew up in Loyal to the late Robert and Leberta (Howe) Payne. He attended Loyal High School and graduated from the Seventh Day Adventist Wisconsin Academy in 1978. He served in the US Army from March 1980 to March 1984 and served in Wurzburg Germany for two years. When returning from the service, he attended the Universal Technical Institute and received an Associate Degree as a Certified Mechanic.

On June 28, 2019, he married the love of his life Hermila Contreras, and they resided in Powell WY. They were together 24/7 traveling to job sites across the US. He was an extremely hard worker just about every day of the year with his wife by his side. He welcomed everyone into his life and helped anyone he could. He loved his family unconditionally and enjoyed his time with his family, especially his daughter Ashley. He was a great combination of a little bit of ornery and a whole lot of tender. Everyone knows that if there was a picture to be taken, whether with his sisters or any family and friends, a silly or joking picture was to follow.

Rodney enjoyed the outdoors and his German Shepherd, Cheyenne. He moved to Wyoming to enjoy Elk hunting, horseback riding, snowmobiling and just about anything that you could do outdoors during all the seasons. He built modified tractors and especially enjoyed tractor pulls not only within the US but also with his friends in the Netherlands.

He will be missed by his wife Hermila Contreras Payne, Powell WY; children Ashley Jane Davel (Cody), Loyal; Angelica (Jorge) Vargas, Joliet IL; Maricela (German) Madrigal, Gainesville GA; Jose Contreras, Joliet IL; Jesus Contreras, Joliet IL; grandchildren Brayden, Dawson, Armando, Jorge, Alberto, Michael, Anthony, Erik, Matthew, Destiny, Josiah; his sisters Lynetta (Paul) Zimmermann, Marshfield; Barbara (Tom) Piesz, Naperville IL; Bonnie (John) Raschka, Exton PA; 22 nieces and nephews and many cousins. He reconnected 16 years ago with Richard (Donna) Fazel, Menasha; Jack (Laurie) Lynse, Savage MN; Karen (Bob) Kuhlik, Bisby AZ.

He was preceded in death by his parents Robert & Leberta Payne, his birth mother Edna Denman and sister Linda Clark.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, February 25, 2022, at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Richland Center. Burial with military rites will follow at the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery, Willow Township. Visitation will be held on Friday, February 25, 2022, at the Seventh Day Adventist Church from 10:00 A.M. until the time of the service at 11:00 A.M. The Pratt Funeral and Cremation Service is assisting the family with their arrangements.