Ora Elda Elizabeth Payne, age 99, of Rice Lake, WI, died Tuesday, April 22, 2025 in Rice Lake. She was born on March 13, 1926 in Cumberland, WI to Edwin and Olga (Just) Meier and attended school in Cumberland.

Ora was married to Zean Adam in 1944 and they had 2 daughters together and they later divorced. On April 7, 1969 she was married to L. Weldon Payne in Michigan and was a homemaker all of her life. She was a member of the Rice Lake Elk’s Lodge, Rice Lake Moose Lodge and the Rice Lake American Legion. Ora was the First Woman Exalted Ruler in the State of Wisconsin. She was the Exalted Ruler for the Rice Lake Elk’s Lodge for 4 years, starting in 2001. She was also very active in the Academy of Friendship for the Moose Lodge.

She is survived by her daughters, Barbara (Bill) Burdick and Karen (Ken) Leach; 8 grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren; 5 great great grandchildren; a sister, Vida Cordell; many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, L. Weldon Payne; her parents, Edwin and Olga Meier; a great great granddaughter, Adaline Lynz Conroy; a stepdaughter, Barbara Walsh; a step granddaughter, Colleen MacAdam; her stepfather, Ben Clauder; a sister, Elvira Ostrum; 2 brothers, Thorlough Meier and Maurice Meier.

A celebration of life will be held on Friday May 2, 2025 at 3PM at Appleyard’s Home for Funerals in Rice Lake, Father Adam Laski officiating, with interment in Lakeside Cemetery in Cumberland, WI. Visitation will be held from 130PM-3PM Friday May 2, 2025 at Appleyard’s Home for Funerals, with an Elk’s Memorial Service at 2:45PM Memorials would be appreciated to St. Joseph Catholic School in Rice Lake, WI.

Last Update: Apr 23, 2025 1:36 pm CDT