James C Payne

James C. Payne, age 90 of Wayne, died peacefully on Wednesday, July 22, 2020.  He had lived in Wayne since 2001.  He had lived in Dumont from 1970 to 2001, Union City prior to that, and enjoyed spending winters in his vacation home in Jupiter, Florida for many years.

James was raised in the Ridgewood section of Queens and graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School.  He was a very bright young man, and following high school, began taking classes as Cooper Union in Brooklyn.  He eventually earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Newark College of Engineering, while working full-time and taking night classes.

He began working at Merkel Meat Market at the age of 14, and in 1947, became a full time machinist at the Wagner Litho Machinery Division of National Standard, rising to the position of factory manager.  This turned into a career lasting twenty-nine years when he retired in 1976. The following year, Jim co-founded Metal Decorating Parts Company, Inc., fabricating parts for lithography equipment.  He operated this company for over twenty-three years before finally deciding to retire in 2000.  By this point, he had been working full-time from the age of sixteen until he was seventy years old!

Jim was a Third Degree Knight with the Knights of Columbus, St. John’s Council of Dumont and Bergenfield.

Jim met his wife, Joan, while working at Wagner Litho, as Jim’s uncle and Joan’s father, who were childhood friends, both also worked there.  They arranged for Jim and Joan to go on a date, and this led to a relationship.  They married on November 5, 1955 at St. Michael’s Monastery in Union City, NJ and enjoyed a wonderful honeymoon to Bermuda.  They loved Bermuda so much, they went back many times throughout the years.  They also traveled throughout the Caribbean Islands, Hawaii, Ireland, France, and many other fabulous destinations.  Together, they have enjoyed nearly sixty-five years of a very loving and happy marriage, filled with great memories.  Jim always took good care of Joan, and his whole family. He was a generous man, kind, and always protective.  He loved spending time with family, especially his grandchildren.  They will all miss him very much.

Jim is survived by his wife Joan (nee Ibold) of Wayne, two children; Karen McMillin and her husband William of Wayne, and David Payne and his wife Helen of Jupiter, Florida, four grandchildren; Audrey and Brian McMillin of Wayne, and Samuel and Olivia Payne of Jupiter, Florida.