Joan Ann Payne, 88, died peacefully at home on November 9, 2025. Joan was born on December 24, 1936, in NYC, the daughter of John E. and Helen J. Schmitt.

Joan proudly told her story of being born in Manhattan and raised in Hell’s Kitchen where kids would occasionally sleep on the fire escape of their apartment house when the heat of the city summer night was too much. Joan’s mother passed early in her life leaving her father to balance out parenthood and his job at the Museum of Natural History in NY. She recalled stories of running through the halls of the museum while her father was working, being greeted and watched by the female exhibit guards as it was wartime and most of the men were overseas. Every Thanksgiving Joan would mention the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and how her Dad brought Joan to the offices of the museum, high above Central Park West where she could watch the parade of floats go by from the best seats in the house. Later in life she moved to the North Bronx, Silver Beach, with her husband, Pat, where they raised the family in a tiny bungalow home where she perfected the craft of folding fitted sheets and towels to perfection in a precise alignment of beige and brown in their narrow closets. The consummate wife and mother, and eventual grandmother, built her first circle of neighborhood friends. The group of women bonded every Thursday evening through card games and snacks in each other's homes. 

After 18 or more years Joan and Pat moved to their beloved forever home in Bayshore Woods after many years of camping in Cape May and beaching at the Crest. Her children remember very early mornings with the other camp families where dozens of Dunkin’ Donuts would be shared at the beach followed by a KFC dinner at sunset, with Joan, ever present with her hot coffee on a 90-degree day. Unbeknownst to Joan, the most precious friends would be waiting for her in Bayshore Woods. Friendships forged while walking the love of her life, her Chester. Canine buddies and their humans would join Joan on their daily trek and as Chester would drag her from house to house to collect snacks along the way, neighborly conversations followed. Once Chester’s needs were addressed, Joan would share a weekly dinner with her dearest friends, a monthly breakfast or lunch, or even share a glass of wine during a porch visit, where discussions of her children’s and grandchildren’s lives occurred, her excitement for an upcoming family visit, especially if it included a coffee ice cream with wet nuts Sunday from Fleck’s.

Joan is survived by her son, Ross A. Pacello (Laura), daughter, Christine Payne (Chad), daughter Jean K. Rocci (Michael), Son Patrick P. Payne (Claudia), Grandchildren; Kristen, Erica and Kyle Pacello, Nicole Worley (Dan), Jonathan Rocci (Katie), Stacey and PJ Payne. Great Grandchildren; Landon and Oliver Worley, Beckett and Ellie Rocci and Royal E. Payne.

Joan was predeceased by her first husband Rosario Pacello and second husband Patrick Payne. She was also predeceased by her siblings Marion Schmitt, Helen Quarg and Frank Schmitt.

Family and friends are invited to pay their respects at 1PM at the Chapel on the grounds of the Cape May County Veteran's Cemetery, 125 Crest Haven Road, Cape May Court House, NJ 08210. Funeral Services will be held immediately following the viewing. Interment will follow on the Cemetery grounds where Joan will be laid to rest along with her husband Patrick.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests consideration of a donation in Joan’s name be made to the Tunnels for Towers. Donations can be made by clicking on this link.