Dorothea Ellen Payne, 93, of Weston, MO, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at Gran Villas, in Atchison, KS, surrounded by her loving husband and six devoted children.

Born to James and Lela (Terry) Scott on August 30, 1932 in Madeline, MO, Dorothea was the eldest of three siblings. She attended school in Gilman City, MO, where she met her 8th grade sweetheart, Billy Payne. She graduated from Gilman City High School in 1950, and went on to attend Chillicothe Business College for a semester. She left when she was offered a position in Kansas City at the Stockman Supply Company and worked during the flood of ‘51. She and Bill were married on December 7, 1951, in Eureka Springs, AR. In the late sixties, they owned the grocery store and locker plant in Gilman City, which she ran. When Bill was hired as the principal at West Platte High School in 1969, they relocated the family to Weston. There, Dorothea worked as a payroll accountant at the McCormick Distilling Company for many years.

Dorothea is survived by her husband Bill; her son Steve (Karen), and her daughters Paula Buckler (Lyle), Pam Smither (Louis), Anita Bearce (Kenny), Melanie Lintner (Alan), and Tonna McAlister (Mike); her siblings Martha Lou Miller (Larry Don) and Bud Scott (Janice); her brothers-in-law Kirby Payne (DeLynda), Roger Hendren and Steve Bixler; and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents Jim and Lela; her father- and mother-in-law Kenny and Mary Payne; her sisters-in-law Sue Payne Hendren and Julie Payne Bixler; grandchildren Christopher Buckler, Shane Smither, and Shannon Smither; and great-granddaughter Gracie Buckler. 

With Bill by her side, Dorothea lived a life filled with love: love of family and friends, love of sports, love of music, and love of Christmas. She spent countless hours watching her children, her grandchildren, and other people’s children play sports over the years, but she was particularly fond of baseball and basketball. When she and Bill weren’t in the bleachers at West Platte, they could often be found at home watching the game on TV. She also loved country music (Alan Jackson was always her favorite), and her home was often filled with country sounds; her daughters are always singing, especially when there are more than two of them in a room at a time. And she always loved Christmas, making sure her home was filled with joy and wonder. When they grew too large to fit in her house, she still made sure her whole family came together to celebrate the holidays and to cherish time with one another. This legacy of love all began at an 8th grade class picnic where Bill took her on a canoe ride. They’ve been in love ever since.

Dorothea will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, and grandmother. She was grandmother to 21 and great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother to many more. She loved the Kansas City Royals, she loved to read and write, and she loved to travel, visiting several European countries and all 50 states. The space she left in her family can never be filled.

Visitation is Sunday, August 23 from 1:00-3:00 pm at Vaughn Funeral Home in Weston, MO. The funeral service will begin at 10:30 am on Monday, August 24, also at Vaughn’s. Those in attendance are asked to wear Royals shirts or the color blue. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that any donations be sent to the West Platte Education Foundation. Arrangement By:  Vaughn Funeral Home—Weston, MO—Ph. 816.386.2281.