Going strong at 90: Mayor, center honor active, musical woman
Published 3:23 pm Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Reporter staff
Family, music and a busy schedule are keeping Charline Payne young these days.
The Kent woman, who turned 90 on Feb. 9, received a belated surprise birthday party on Valentine’s Day at the Kent Senior Activity Center.
Family and friends joined Payne for cake, stories and laughter during karaoke at the center.
A regular at the center, Payne performed a few of her favorite tunes with her unique, soft voice, shuffling to the lyrics.
Mayor Suzette Cooke attended to officially honor Payne on her milestone and for her work in the community.
“This is a wonderful day,” the delightful and charming Payne said. “I have a wonderful family.
Are there any secrets to her longevity, she was asked?
“I don’t think so,” she said. “I just keep going … finding things to do.”
Payne has always enjoyed performing.
She often was asked if she sang professionally. She used to sing with the big bands for fun in the early 1940s, and joined her brother, Bob, for piano duets on a weekly radio program when they were younger.
Payne also was a gifted dancer.
Payne worked for Seafirst Bank, now Bank of America, and MetLife Leasing.
Charlene and William Payne, married for 67 years, raised four children. William, who worked at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and then the Seattle Times until he was 80 years old, passed away four years ago, just 11 days shy of his 90th birthday.
Today Charline Payne remains active, social and semi-independent, living in the same house since 1998. A son and two daughters live nearby to help care for her.
She frequently shops, does a little gardening, and reads and sings every day.
“She is full of energy and vitality and people love being around her,” said daughter Janice Carter, who is a small business owner in Kent. “People are drawn to her because of her wonderful personality.”
Today Payne continues to help others and volunteers at the center.
She enjoys being with family and friends. She has eight grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Led and inspired by their matriarch, the Payne family has been a part of Kent since the early 1970s.
“My mother will have lived a longer life than anyone else in either her family or my father’s family,” Carter said.
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PHOTO BELOW:
Mayor Suzette Cooke took time to honor the work of Charline Payne. Mark Klaas, Kent Reporter
