Rev. David S. Payne, 90, who loved sharing the message of salvation to everyone he met, went to meet his Lord and Savior on Saturday, December 7, 2024, in Pensacola, FL.

David was born in Stowe Township, PA on April 3, 1934, to Seth and Reta (Over) Payne. He went to school in Coropolis, PA, graduating with the class of 1952 from Coropolis High School. He worked for the local grocer and drove taxis for his father's Taxi business before joining the Navy. During basic training in Willow Grove, PA, he completed the prescribed course to enter the Pre-Flight program at NAS in Pensacola, FL.

While stationed at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, FL, he qualified as a carrier pilot on the USS Antietam. He also met and married the love of his life, Nancy J. (Worsnop) Payne, while stationed at NAS. They were married at Sacred Heart Church on July 18, 1959, and celebrated 65 years of marriage on July 18, 2024. After leaving the Navy, David graduated from Robert Morris College with his accounting degree and obtained his CPA certification in the state of Pennsylvania. He worked for several accounting firms in Pennsylvania and Florida before pursuing his Ministerial degree from the Nazarene Bible College in Colorado Springs, CO and Mid-America Nazarene University in Olathe, KS. He received his Master of Divinity degree at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY. He was ordained in the Church of the Nazarene on July 12, 1971, in Denver, CO. Rev. Payne pastored churches in Kentucky, Colorado, Alabama and Florida before retiring in 2005 at the age of 71. He also served in jail ministries in Kentucky, Alabama and Florida during his ministry. After retirement, he continued to share the gospel and the message of salvation; preaching his last sermon on January 14, 2024, at the First United Methodist Church in Pace, FL at the age of 89. He was witnessing to caregivers each day until his death.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Seth and Reta Payne (Pennsylvania); his brother, Harry Payne (New Jersey); his sisters, Nancy Meadows (Colorado), Judy Horn, Bernice Payne, and Janet Payne (Pennsylvania) and a grandson Brandon Van Pelt (Kansas).

He is survived by his wife, Nancy J. (Worsnop) Payne; 3 children, David S. Payne, II (Donna) of Ft. Worth, TX, Cynthia E. Van Pelt (Kevin) of Benton, TN, and Donald J. Payne of Pace, FL. He has 7 grandchildren: David S. Payne, III, Jeremy A. Payne, K. Joshua Van Pelt, Jordan K. Van Pelt, Jenai E. Johnson and Donald J. Payne, II and 9 great grandchildren, Brandon Payne, Joshua Payne, Jensen Payne, Mikel Van Pelt, Braylan Van Pelt, Ashton Van Pelt, Graham Johnson, Molly-Anne Johnson and Tate Johnson.

Private family services will be held.