Roll Call Tribute

James Donald "Don" Payne 

August 27, 1955 - May 13, 2025 

James Donald "Don" Payne, 69, passed away on May 13, 2025.

Don was born on August 27, 1955 in Texas City, TX to Jefferson D Payne and Alleen Batson Payne. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Texas A&M University (Summa Cum Laude) where he was named a Gathright Scholar in the College of Business. He also possessed a Master of Business Administration from Rice University, Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Administration with Summa Cum Laude honors.

Don spent his entire life in Texas and most of his career in the greater Houston area. He started his career as an auditor for Arthur Andersen. Later he served as the VP Finance for UMC Petroleum Corporation (formerly Entex) an energy company where he led a $90 million public offering and listed the Company on the New York Stock Exchange. From oil and gas, Don shifted his emphasis to work in executive leadership positions in the world of pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. He had decades of acknowledgements and achievements during his professional life, including being co-author of seven scientific publications and an inventor of three U.S. patents.

Don loved and embraced his family, was a caring and thoughtful friend, and was a dedicated and compassionate leader and mentor. He is uniformly remembered for his warmth, humor and intellect. Don had the unique ability to bring people together in a selfless manner. Don is remembered by his record of always being on time and his 10/10 grammar score. He enjoyed reading, especially historical biographies and narratives. He was an avid traveler and instilled this joy in his daughters by taking two trips every year when they were younger.

Don is survived by his children and their spouses, Allison and Brian Hardman and Laura and Hannah Paynebinder; his grandchild Makai Paynebinder; his sister Betty Payne Crowder; his sister-in-law Marleta Payne Rape; his nieces and nephew Erik Larsen, Amanda Bofferding, and Christina Turrubiate; and his numerous great nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Jefferson D Payne and Alleen Batson Payne; his brother H. Dwayne Payne; and his brother-in-law James C Crowder, Sr.

Don held two things dearly: Education and Medicine. If you would like to make a donation in Don’s memory, please make a contribution to BridgeYear, an education non-profit, or to Houston Methodist Hospital.