Paul Dwaine Payne, Esq., aged 76, passed on Monday, October 16, 2023.  Paul was the son of Paul Dwaine Payne I and Frankie Henrietta Rice Payne, both of whom predeceased Attorney Payne.  Paul's paternal grandparents were the late Rev. and Mrs. John Thomas Payne, minister and first lady of Shiloh Baptist Church, Akron, Ohio. Paul's maternal grandparents were Sam and Lillie Rice.

Paul attended McEbright Elementary School, Goodrich Junior High School, and Garfield High School, where he played on a championship winning football team.

After graduating from high school, Paul attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where he was active as a student leader. Paul served as the first president of the Black Student Association during the great civil rights movement at the University.  He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Akron.

Paul was encouraged to dream of a career in the field of law by his grandmother, Lillie Rice.  His role model in the field of law was his cousin, Edwin Parms, who was an attorney in Akron for many years and was a past president of the local chapter of the NAACP.

As encouraged by his grandmother, after graduating from college, Paul enrolled in the University of Akron School of Law where he graduated with a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree.

Paul married Dr. Virginia Deanne Newell of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on September 4, 1971.  They had one son, Todd Newell Payne, born on August 24, 1977.  Paul was later briefly married to Ms. Claudia Braxton of Oberlin, Ohio.

Paul spent the bulk of his legal career working as an attorney with Community Legal Aid in Summit County.  Paul specialized in advocating for women who were victims of abusive relationships. This work was his lifelong commitment. He was highly regarded by his clients and by officers of the Summit County Magistrates Court.  During his time as a lawyer, he served on several committees of the Summit County Bar, where he was renowned for his deep commitment to his clients.  He was a warrior in the law for others until his retirement in June 2007.

Paul was a tennis enthusiast and enjoyed attending major tournaments such as the U.S. Open with his brother.  Tennis, politics, and current events were some of his favorite topics of conversation.  While he resisted efforts to study music and play musical instruments, he also loved music, particularly jazz music. His favorites were Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and The Weather Report.  Paul passed his love of jazz on to his son, Todd, to whom Paul was a devoted dad.  Paul was also a dedicated and loving grandfather to his dear grandson, Graydon, and was a supportive and kind friend to Graydon's mother, Stevie Westfall.

Attorney Payne leaves to mourn: his son, Todd, and Todd's partner, Stevie Westfall; his grandson, Graydon; his brother, Hal; his niece, Attorney Angela Payne James; his nephew, Bryan Khari Wood Payne, Sr.; his Aunts Lillie Mae Brown and Mary Grant; his cousins, Attorney Edwin Parms, Marie Parms, Attorney Rebecca Parms, Jonathan Parms, Susan Stein, and Eric Grant; and a host of other friends and family.

Paul always held his family and friends close to his heart.  Let us honor and celebrate his legacy by holding his spirit and commitment to service in our hearts.