Obituaries

Clerk of Superior Court Dies

Funeral arrangements are incomplete but will be announced by Hightower's Memorial Chapel of Douglasville.

Against gray skies Monday, the flags at the courthouse flew at half staff.

Douglas County Clerk of Superior Court Rhonda Payne, 46, died late Sunday night, after a short battle with cancer, that she had only recently learned about, according to the Douglas County Sentinel.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete but will be announced by Hightower's Memorial Chapel of Douglasville.

According to the county's website, Payne is a lifelong resident of Douglas County, and is the daughter of Robert (Bobby) D. Payne and Geneva Vansant. She has one sister, Kimberly Payne.

Rhonda Payne was a 1985 graduate of Douglas County High School and a member of Ephesus Baptist Church.

Payne is credited with moving the clerk's office into the digital age, having worked there for most of her adult life, according to the Sentinel.

Payne was hired 1986 to work in the records room. She was appointed Chief Deputy Clerk in 1999. In 2007, Payne was appointed Clerk of Superior Court, and was elected to her first full term in November 2008. She was re-elected to the position last fall.

"Chat with the Chairman" with Douglas County Commission Chairman Tom Worthan scheduled for tonight, has canceled due to Payne's passing.


Find out what's happening in Douglasvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here