MEMORIAL RESOLUTION FOR O'NEAL "SONNY BOY" PAYNE SR.
WHEREAS, God in His Infinite Wisdom has called O'Neal "Sonny Boy" Payne Sr. to his eternal reward on January 12, 2019 at the age of seventy-three; and
WHEREAS, This august body has been informed of his passing by the Honorable Emma Mitts, Alderman of the 37th Ward; and
WHEREAS, O'Neal was born on July 25, 1945 in Cleveland, Mississippi, to loving parents, the late Henry Payne and the late Mary Frances Miller Payne. He was the fifth of eleven children; and
WHEREAS, O'Neal married the love of his life, Lenora Collier, on March 26, 1967. They shared a joy-filled union for over fifty-one years and were blessed with four wonderful children; and
WHEREAS, O'Neal accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior and was a faithful member of New St. James Missionary Baptist Church, where he served wholeheartedly as a deacon, fixer, and bus driver; and
WHEREAS, O'Neal was a dedicated employee at Baxter's for twenty eight years and for seven years he drove eighteen wheeler trucks to continue providing for his family. He was well known as a hard worker, a legacy he passed onto his children at a young age. At the time, they could not understand why they had chores when other children did not. As adults, they came to realize the purpose in their father's ways and acknowledged their love and appreciation for the life skills and work ethic he imbued in each of them. His children attribute their father's teaching with their own ability to respect and love each other no matter what, and to survive in what can often be a difficult world; and
WHEREAS, O'Neal was a man with an endless zest for life. He sang with the Southern Jubilees Black Gospel Quartet of Cleveland, Mississippi, for seventeen years, adding a sprinkling of soul to traditional Gospel music and spreading joy to many; and
WHEREAS, O'Neal also had a great passion for horses and cows, which brought him into wonderful relationships with other horse lovers. He became a member of the "Delta Hill Riders", the vibrant African-American cowboy community of the Mississippi Delta, and served them faithfully until his death; and
WHEREAS, O'Neal "Sonny Boy" Payne Sr. leaves to cherish his memory: his adoring wife Lenora Collier Payne; their four children, O'Neal (Netta) Payne, Jr., Valerie Payne, Reginald (Sonya) Payne, and Anthony Payne; nine grandchildren, Rickey Jermaine, O'Neal III, Markerrius, Y'Eshia, De'Neal, Andronicus, Shaquille, Madison, and Anaya; seven great-grandchildren, Markerrius, Jr., Kalil, Willow, Ace, Aniya, Z'Kiaya, and Jaxon. O'Neal is also survived by eight of his siblings: Helen (Manuel) Coleman, Clara Lee, Louise (Don) Lucas, James (Earnestine) Payne, Florence Hazel Brown, Oliver E. (Rhonda) Payne, Christie Lafaye, (Ed) Cole, Quinton (Tamara) Payne, two sister-in-laws Velma Payne and Azzie Lee Payne, his "Top Chef Vegetable Cooker"; and
WHEREAS, O'Neal was predeceased by his siblings; Henry and Robert Payne; and
WHEREAS, O'Neal "Sonny Boy" Payne Sr. left an indelible mark on the lives of all who knew him. His unconditional love, caring nature, strong morals, and adventurous spirit live on through his beloved family and treasured friends; now and therefore,