Mescal (Payne) Paine of Hermiston died on March 21, 2018 in Hermiston at the age of 91.
She was born on July 13, 1926 in Wallowa County to Edward T. Payne and Gladys V. Conrad Payne.
Mescal was raised in Union, where she graduated from Union High in 1945. She then went to Springfield, Mo. and attended Central Bible College for three years, and then to Eastern Oregon College in La Grande, where she received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education.
In December 1951, when Mescal was returning to Wasco, where she was teaching, God planted Sgt. Burton Paine on a Greyhound bus seat next to her. This was the beginning of their long-distance courtship, and after six months they were married on June 2, 1952 in Daly City, Calif. This union would last for 62 years, until Burt’s passing in 2015.
After their wedding, Burt and Mescal lived in San Francisco, where he was currently stationed. He was then transferred to Germany, and after the birth of their first child, Corinne, they would join him. At the completion of his military service, they returned to Umatilla County, where Burt would try his hand at farming and Mescal would return to her teaching career.
She had been teaching school in Umatilla for three years when their second child, Douglas, was born. She then transferred to the Hermiston School District, teaching second grade at West Park Elementary School. She would then transfer to the new Rocky Heights Elementary School, where she would teach first grade for the remainder of her 31 years in teaching. Mescal retired in June 1984 after teaching more than 1,000 kids. She would often laugh and say, “I’ve been in school for 47 years and I’ve never made it out of the first grade.”
Mescal was a member of the Hermiston Christian Center and the Happy Ramblers Travel Club. When Burt retired in 1988, they would spend their winters snow-birding in Arizona. Mescal enjoyed sewing, reading, camping, traveling and spending time with family and friends. She also taught children in her church for many years.
She is survived by her daughter, Corinne Peacock and husband Terrence of Sherwood; son, Douglas Paine and wife Tia of Hermiston; grandchildren, Dawn, Ty, Kurtis, Andrea and Ashli; and nine great grandchildren.
Mescal was preceded in death by her husband, Burt; parents, Ed and Gladys; sister, Sybil; and brother, David.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 31, 2018 at 9 a.m. at the Hermiston Christian Center, 1825 W. Highland Ave.
Burial will follow at the Hermiston Cemetery.
Please sign the online condolence book at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
