Person Sheet


Name Lola Gwyn, G500
Birth Jan 21, 1909
Census 1910, Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co., PA215
Census 1920, Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co., PA216
Death Jan 2, 1999, Los Angeles, CA Age: 89
Burial Jan 2, 1999, Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, CA
Father James Gwyn (1879-~1917)
Mother Aquila Greenleaf (1891-1953)
Spouses
1 Charles Albert Payne, P500
Birth Apr 20, 1906217
Death Mar 1979, Los Angeles Co., CA217
Occupation Butcher
Father Albert Payne
Mother Myrtle Stewart (1888-1967)
Children Gwendolyn (1931-2001)
(Private, Female)
(Private, Female)
(Private, Female)
(Private, Male)
(Private, Female)
(Private, Male)
(Private, Male)
Notes for Lola Gwyn
Obituary: Lola Payne was born January 21, 1909 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to James and Aquilla Gwyn. Lola was the eldest of four children, one sister and two brothers, who have all proceeded her in death. She was educated in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania school system.

As a young woman, Lola accepted Christ as her Savior and was baptized and filled with the Holy Ghost. She was a faithful and active member of the Christian Missionary Alliance Church, Rev. J. W. Hardy, pastor.

Lola was united in Holy Matrimony to Charles Albert Payne. To this union were born eight children. Her husband of fifty years has preceeded her in death.

In 1948, the family moved to Los Angeles, California where they became active members of Fisher Memorial Tabernacle Church, Rev. J. E. Fields. While her husband served as a trustee of the church, she served as the church pianist. In later years she became a long standing memor of Trinity Baptist Church. For a short season Lola attended Emanuel Temple with her daughter, Sarah. While in the care of her daughters she made In His Steps Ministries her final church home.

Lola lived a dedicated Christian life and was a beautiful example before her family. In addition to being a wonderful homemaker, she loved reading, singing, playing the piano and working in the yard. Going places and discovering new surroundings was something she enjoyed doing. Distance meant nothing as long as there was a bus to get there and back. Lola always sought to enrich her childrens lives both naturally and spiritually but the emphasis was on the spiritual. She always had a sermon ready. The desire of her heart was for all of her children to be saved. In later years, her favorite pastime was to visit the pier in Santa Monica where she continually marvelled at the greatness of God and his majestic creation. Everywhere she went, Lola shared Jesus with those around her.

Although the Alzheimer's robbed her memory of names, faces, places and things, Lola's heart was always filed with love and praises for her Saviour and King. Lola will be greately missed by all whose lives she touched. She leaves to celebrate her home going, five daughters, Mrs. Gwendolyn Donaldson of Dallas, TX, Ms. Willa Payne, Ms. Sarah Payne, Mrs. Carol Williams, all of Los Angeles, CA, Mrs. Juanita Epps, of Jeffersonville, IN; three sons, Mr. Charles Payne of Fresno, CA, Mr. James Payne of San Francisco, CA and Mr. David Payne of Los Angeles, CA' on sister in law, Mrs. Elizabeth Gwyn of Kearney, NJ; twenty nine grandchildren and thirty four great grandchildren, a host of nephews and nieces, relatives and friends.
Notes for Charles Albert (Spouse 1)
Charles Payne
Birthplace:Pennsylvania
State:PA
Age:04
Color:W
Enumeration District:0174
Visit:0496
County:Westmoreland
Relation:Grandson
Head of Household Patrick Hann
Pensylvania 1910 Miracode Index

Sasha, I also know very little about my father's mother other than the fact that my father's parents divorced when he was a young child and he was the only child they had together. His mother later married a man whose last name was Briscoe. As far as I know they had no children. I was also told that my father's people were very prominent black morticians in the Pittsburgh area and that they more or less took him under their wings and taught and later offered him to be a part of the business, which he turned down. (Their son who worked in the mortuary business died from embalming fluid that went into a cut in his hand. If I remember correctly it was an uncle maybe on his father's side of the family who had this business?

After I was married I remember finding an article my father must have cut out from the newspaper talking about a Payne trucking business that may have been in Ohio. This could have been one of his uncles on his father's side. Also my father had a first cousin who was very close to him and would write him from time to time. His first cousins wife's name was Josephine e. Payne and they lived in Waynesburg, pa. This cousin died years ago but his wife Josephine was still living. I wrote to her in July 1994. Cousin Josephine wrote back several times. She said something about having a sister in a nursing home there. In her last letter she told me she had colon cancer and that she now had a colostomy but was doing well thanks to her neighbors and friends who were helping to take care of her. I later wrote another letter but it was stamped return to sender. I don't know what happened to her. I begged her to call me collect or send me her phone number because I so desperately wanted to talk to her but she never responded to it. I did call information only to find it was a non-published number. My regret is that I didn't drive to Waynesburg and try to find her. She would have been a great missing link to the past.

Also my father said that his mother was half Irish and another time he said that there was Italian on his side of the family as well. If my father's dad was a secret service man then he must have been very fair skinned...maybe passing for something other than black. Or could black men get that type of job in the early 1900's? (email from Juanita Payne Epps)
Last Modified Jul 5, 2006 Created Sep 2, 2006 using Reunion for Macintosh

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