In Celebration of

Nancy Guthrie Payne

March 4, 1927 - November 19, 2022

It is with great sadness that the family of Nancy Guthrie Payne announces her passing on Saturday, November 19, 2022 at the age of 95.

Red headed and fiery, Nancy Payne was an independent, very intelligent, loving and passionate person. She loved: her family, throwing dinner parties, dressing up to go out, old movies, world travel, reading, going to the Toronto Symphony, Dad’s jokes (okay, not all of them), and her dogs.

Nancy had many interests and an extremely varied career. After Simpsons, she was a piano teacher, a high-end plumbing fixture consultant with the trades, salesperson in an electrical store, as well as being a United Church Chaplain at Kipling Acres LTC and Toronto Rehab Hospital. She was also a keen photographer and gardener, an expert figure skater, an avid student of gerontology, a skilled bridge player, and very good at knitting.

Nancy is remembered with great fondness and affection by her son Richard and his wife Rosanna Payne and sons Andrew and Eric, as well as her daughter Janet and husband David Daglish, and sons Cameron, Stuart, Mackenzie. She will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her.

Guestbook

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Catherine Sampson (Niece)

Entered November 24, 2022 from ORONO

I am deeply saddened when I learned of her passing. I will always remember her hugs, laughter and bright smile. She was a gem who shone bright in many hearts and even more so as we continue with our lives. Her memory is everlasting.

Life Stories

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Richard Payne

Entered November 23, 2022

Nancy was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1927. Her father emigrated to Canada in 1930, and in 1931 Nancy and her mother Nessie emigrated to Canada to join him, and began life in Timmins, Ontario, where he worked in the Hollinger gold mine.

In 1950, Nancy graduated from University of Toronto in music – piano performance. She completed her ARCT through the Royal Conservatory of Music. She began her career as one of the first women in Canada in a management training program through Simpsons where she became a clothing and fabric buyer, and met Christopher Evans, also a buyer. Nancy married Christopher in 1954 and moved to Pointe Claire, Quebec, near Montreal, in 1956, and then moved back to Toronto in early 1960. They went on to have a family with son, Richard, followed by their daughter, Janet.

Christopher was killed in the crash of TCA Flight 831. This was Canada’s worst air disaster to that time, in which 118 people died. Black boxes became standard equipment as a result of this crash. Nancy was grief-stricken, but eventually remarried in 1966, to Gordon Arthur Payne. They were extremely happy during their marriage of almost 50 years, and Gordon was a good and loving father to Richard and Janet. He passed away in 2015. Hopefully they are together again.