Helen Payne (WETUMPKA, Ala.)

WETUMPKA, Ala. - Helen Eileen West Conroy Payne, passed away on Monday, February 9, 2009 at Crowne Healthcare. She was born April 4, 1918, in Bloomington, IL, a daughter of Albert and Frieda Wieland West. She married Joseph W. Conroy, who preceded her in death, and then married Edwin A. Payne, who also preceded her. Her parents, four brothers and one sister preceded her in death. She is survived by seven children: Joseph (Katherine) Conroy, Exeter, RI; Gerald (Mary) Conroy, Acworth, GA; Judith ( Craig) Palmer, Evans, GA; Marian (David) Morgenstern, Wetumpka, AL; John (Colleen) Conroy, Pine Hurst, NC; Alan (Pam) Conroy, Ft. Worth, TX; and Paula (Alan) Monroe, Normal, IL, also, a former daughter-in-law, Carol Weidig Conroy, Crystal Lake, IL. She also leaves one brother, Wayne (Eleanor) West, San Leandro, CA; four sisters: Clara Eastman, Niantic; Doris Ritter, Bloomington, IL; Pauline (Don) Brown, Mazon, IL; Lelah (Bill) Gramm, Shipshewana, IN; and sisters- in-law, Martha S. West, Congerville, IL; Ellen Conroy (Tom) Brennan, Bloomington, IL; Ann Sheehan Conroy, Michigan; Jean Sunday Conroy, Garden Grove, CA; and brothers-in-law, James (Mary Louise) Conroy, IL; Robert (Ann) Payne, Shawnee Misson, KS. She had seventeen grandchildren, and twenty-five great-grandchildren. She attended Carlock High School and graduated from Bloomington High School. She was an Illinois State University faculty wife, plus a staff member at ISU. A graveside service will be held in May 2009 at Eastlawn Memorial Chapel, Bloomington, Illinois with inurnment to immediately follow. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Edwin A. Payne Memorial Scholarship at Illinois State University, in memory of Helen E. Payne, Illinois State University Foundation, Campus Box 8000, Normal, IL 61790-8000. Leak Memory Chapel Sign the guestbook at AugustaChronicle.com

The Augusta Chronicle-February 12, 2009