Bruce Benton Payne, 75, of Tifton passed away Friday, October 2, 2026, at Tift Regional Medical Center. His funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 6, 2026, in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals with the Rev. Sonny Stroud officiating. Eulogies will be given by Mark Thompson and Jo Windom. Bruce will be laid to rest at Oak Ridge Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Monday, October 5, 2026, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Shane Daughtry, Justin Hale, Dallas Hunt, Frank Jones, Craig Kvien, Mike Owens, Alan Ray and Neal Roberson will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Randy Riner, employees of Payne Electric and Air Conditioning Company in Tifton and members of the Springhill Two-Dollar Club of Springhill Country Club.
Born January 24, 1951, in Tift County, Bruce was the son of the late William Frank Payne and Mittie Baker Payne. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three brothers, William “Billy” Hugh Payne, Benjamin “Benny” Franklin Payne and Robert Keith “Butch” Payne; and three sisters, Betty Jean Crumbley, Barbara Sue Hickey Archer and Bonnie Marie Smith. He was the owner of Payne Electric and Air Conditioning Company in Tifton for 43 years. He was a member of the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce as well as several other Tifton organizations. He served in the United States Army during the Vietnam era.
Left behind to cherish Bruce’s memory is his wife of 53 years, Esther Farmer Payne of Tifton; one son, Bryan Payne of Tifton; one daughter, Bridgett Payne Stroud (Chip) of Jacksonville, Florida; three grandchildren, Bryson Payne, Lauren Stroud and McKenzie Stroud; one brother, Bobby Joe Payne, a sister-in-law, Sherry Harper of Tifton; a sister-in-law, Wanda Payne Parsons and her son, Blake Payne (Markie); and several other nieces and nephews.
The family would like to extend their sincere gratitude to First Responders and the staff of Tift Regional Medical Center for their special care of Bruce.
Flowers will be accepted or memorial gifts may be made to a charity of choice.