Melrose, FLAnn Wilson Payne, 85, of Melrose Florida, passed away March 15 surrounded by her family. Born July 28, 1928 in Palm Beach County, she was raised in Ft. Lauderdale. She graduated from Mary Washington College in 1950 and was commissioned in the U.S. Navy, serving her country as a Naval Intelligence Officer in Washington D.C. and Hawaii, where she met and married her late husband, Dr. Philip Marshall Payne II, also a Naval Officer. Fittingly, she outranked him. Subsequently, the Navy transferred them to Japan for a brief time. After returning to the United States, Ann delivered her first set of twins, Philip Marshall Payne III and Sarah Margaret Ann at the Bethesda Naval Hospital. Upon her husbands acceptance to medical school at the University of Virginia, the family moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, where she delivered Oona Mary Catherine, and her second set of twins, Sarah Catherine and Susan Elizabeth. She was a loving, patient, devoted and supportive mother who was adored and respected. Her children list as one of their mothers major accomplishments the raising of five children, born within a three-year span, without ever raising her voice.Ann was a woman of quiet strength, great intelligence and fierce determination, who was equally beautiful inside and out. She was a voracious reader, and an accomplished writer and painter. A long-time member of the Audubon Society, she had a deep and abiding love of nature and joyfully passed this love to her children, teaching them to identify and appreciate birds, animals, plants and trees. A Master Gardener, an avid collector of books, art and natures treasures, Ann transformed each place the family moved into a home and yard of beauty; a haven for her family and numerous pets, as well as the wildlife. She loved travel, and after many family vacations to the Bahamas aboard their boat Paganos, she and her husband Phil explored the world together choosing roads less traveled. Their adventures took them to Alaska, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, Egypt, Morocco, Tibet, China, both the Northern and Southern Spice Routes, and many other places. Both were life-long learners and together they found great joy and deepened respect for world cultures, learning local customs and collecting the fine handiwork of each.Ann was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church where she volunteered at its thrift shop, and was a devoted volunteer for the Melrose Public Library. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Dr. Philip M. Payne, M.D.; her parents Elbert Ezra and Margaret Ann Wilson and her brother Elbert "Buster" Wilson.Ann is survived by her children Philip Payne III and his wife Cynthia Booth; Margaret "Maggie" Blizzard and her husband Rick, who both lovingly cared for her in the final years of her life; Oona Lewis and her husband Eddie; Susan Russo and her husband Carmine, and Sarah Speese and her husband Clark. Ann is also survived by seven grandchildren: Ben and Katie Payne; Reid and Kyle Lewis; Drew, Eric and Annie Speese.Donations may be made to the Melrose Public Library P.O. Box 1048, Melrose, FL 32666 or Haven Hospice 6400 St. Johns Ave. Palatka, FL 32177. hide