Clinton D. Payne, 70, of Regent, ND passed away at the West River Regional Medical Center in Hettinger, ND on February 2, 2012.

A Memorial gathering of Family and Friends will be held on Sunday, February 5, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. at the Senior Citizens Center in Regent.

Clinton Payne was born March 21, 1941 on the family farm near Regent, ND in Black Butte Township. He attended grade school at Horswill #1 Country School and graduated from Regent High School in 1958. After graduation he enlisted in the US Navy and was honorably discharged in March of 1962.

On May 26, 1962 he married the love of his life Violet Hartman. Clinton and Violet started their journey together in Regent, ND then moved to New Rockford, ND where Clinton worked as an insurance salesman at Farmers Union Insurance. In 1965 they moved to Washington where he worked as a salesman at Volkswagon. In 1970 they moved back to the family farm.

In 1984 Clinton went to work for NRCS in New England, ND and finished his career in Mott, ND as a soil conservation technician in 2003.


After retirement Clinton enjoyed fishing, gardening and traveling to visit his children and grandchildren. One of his favorite spots was the dock at Indian Creek catching walleye and blue gills. Clinton will be greatly missed by all of his family. He was our "rock" in good times and bad.

Clinton is survived by his wife, Violet, of Regent, his daughters, Tammy Covert, Regent, Carrie (Mark) Hassebrock, Frederick, CO, Cindy (Craig) Nickel, Lavina, MT and Debbie (Eric) Krebs, Jamestown, ND; 11 grandchildren, Brady, Brandi, Haley, Hayden, Holden, Ashley, Shaunna, Colby, Paige, Ethan and April; two great grandchildren, Jesse and Isabella; one brother, Orville (Diane) Payne, Mandan, ND; one sister, Lila Gedrose, Wahpeton, ND and numerous other family and friends.

Clinton was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Howard Payne and two sister, Gladys Greff and Blanche Kling.