Lisle Warren Payne, 80, died at Stanford Medical Center, in Stanford, California, on Oct. 12, 2022, after seven weeks of fighting a rare blood cancer with complex conditions.
Lisle Payne was born in Des Moines, Iowa, on Sept. 1, 1942, to Lisle and Erna Payne, and was a proud graduate of Roosevelt High School. Lisle attended the University of Arizona, graduating with a bachelor of science degree in 1964, and then a master’s in business from the University of California, Berkeley in 1968. His interests were finance and real estate, and he founded the Fox Group of companies. Over the years, Lisle held many state and national industry leadership roles in the areas of education and real estate, including being on the Foundation Board for the University of California and the National Board of Advisors for the Eller School of Management at the University of Arizona.
Married to Roslyn Braeman Payne, a Kansas City native, Lisle and Roslyn frequently visited Kansas City to see friends and relatives. They had two sons, Matt and Drew. Lisle loved coaching his sons and became a volunteer coach at a San Francisco Public Recreational Center. Recognizing the power of sports for many children, he was on the board of directors of the Positive Coaching Alliance.
Lisle was actively involved with the Young Presidents’ Organization, and his University of Arizona Fraternity, Sigma Chi, where he was named a “Significant Sig.”
Lisle and his family lived in San Francisco. Lisle and Roslyn enjoyed traveling and visited all six continents and over 80 countries. He had a deep love for the outdoors and fishing. Ten days before being hospitalized, Lisle and his sons were tarpon fishing in Mexico, and Lisle caught a tarpon using a fly rod.
Known for his gentle humor, kindness, and generosity with an authentic love of others, he will be remembered and deeply missed by his family and many friends.
“The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, not the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
Funeral services and burial were held on Oct. 16, 2022, at Home of Eternity, Piedmont, California, with Rabbi Beth Singer of Congregation Temple Emanu El leading the service. Lisle’s father was in the US Army during World War II, as were Roslyn’s parents. In collaboration with the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City and JWV MO-KAN Post 605, Roslyn helped to create the book, “For Those Who Served Our Country: A Tribute to Greater Kansas City’s Jewish Veterans.” Memorial contributions may be made to support the efforts of JWV MO-KAN Post 605 through the Jewish Veterans Book Project Fund at the Jewish Community Foundation, 5801 W. 115th St., Suite 104, Overland Park, KS 66211.
