Virginia Faye Payne, nee Schwartzmann (Barnes, McBeath), passed away on October 18, 2019, peacefully at home with her husband of 39 years, Douglas H. Payne Sr., at her bedside. Virginia was born September 27, 1939 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Virginia was the oldest of five children born to Jon R. Schwartzmann and C. Marian Cobb who both predeceased her. She was raised in St. Louis, Missouri, then Tucson, Ariz., where she graduated from high school before attending USC in Los Angeles, Calif. There she married Gary Barnes and had her only son, Lance Richard Barnes. She divorced Gary and married Jack McBeath before again divorcing and marrying a retired LAPD Detective and a private investigator now retired, Douglas H. Payne, Sr. Virginia became a stepmother to Douglas’ four children, Caroline, Douglas, Sharon, and Deena.
Virginia is survived by her two sisters, Mary Rubin (Howard) and Martha Schwartzmann, along with her two brothers Jim (Diane) and Chuck (Paula) Schwartzmann. She is also survived by her children Lance Richard Barnes (Angela), Douglas Payne Jr (Kelly), Caroline Agular (Rosendo), and Sharon Payne. Virginia is preceded in death by daughter Deena Payne and granddaughter Sarah Barnes. She is survived by grandson Ian Barnes (Jenelle), granddaughter Laura Barnes, grandson Tyler LeFevre (Kayla), grandsons Ramon Estrada, Dominic Estrada; granddaughters Megan Welch and Dara Welch, six great-grandchildren, with two new ones due in February and March of 2020. Virginia also has many nephews and nieces and extended family still residing in Michigan.
Virginia loved animals, nature and sharing her knowledge. She was a schoolteacher for 41 years. Teaching first in Compton, Calif., then Long Beach, Calif., before getting her own private investigator’s license and competing with her husband as Angel Investigations. Virginia returned to teaching after two years and taught at a private school in Riverside, Calif., before becoming the principal there. Her love for Arizona drew her and husband Douglas to Parker, Ariz., where she returned to reaching and taught at La Pera Elementary on the CRIT reservation outside of Parker for 19 additional years. Virginia’s love of horses and dogs kept her actively involved in horse shows and dog shows throughout California and Arizona, winning a silver buckle in the 1996 La Paz County Fair on her show horse and high point in Scottsdale, Ariz., two years in a row. She enjoyed showing her Australian shepherds and pugs and made many friends along the way. Virginia was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the National Society of Colonial Dames, holding many state and local offices including president of her chapter in 1997 and 2007. Douglas and Virginia moved to Kingman, Ariz., after she retired from teaching in 2009. In Kingman, Virginia was active in the Kingman Presbyterian Church, singing with her husband in the choir. They became members of the Kingman Social Club and she volunteered at the Mohave Museum of History and Arts for four years.
A graveside service will be held Saturday, October 26 at 1:30 p.m. at the Parker Town Cemetery with a social gathering at Blue Water Casino events room following the service. A memorial service will be held in Kingman, date to be determined, where Virginia lived with her horses, dogs, cats, one goat and 16 finches on an acre ranch.
In lieu of flowers please remember the Joan & Diana Hospice Home in Kingman, or your local Evangelical Presbyterian Church. The family contact is her husband Douglas Payne.
