Dr. Michael David Payne

Dr. Michael David Payne, 75, of Lewisburg, died Saturday, January 14, 2017 at Riverwoods, Lewisburg.

Born January 17, 1941 in Dallas, TX, he was a son of the late Fred G. Payne and Jocie (Kirkham) and Lester Lundberg.

He was a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, and Southern Oregon College. Michael then earned his doctorate in English from the University of Oregon.

Michael retired in 2007 as a professor of English Literature from Bucknell where he joined the faculty in 1969.  During his tenure at Bucknell, he has served as Presidential Professor of English, John P. Crozer Professor of English Literature, and department chair.  He was instrumental in founding the Bucknell Institute of Lifelong Learning (BILL) and taught courses on the program for a number of years.  Michael also previously served as director of the Bucknell University Press and associate editor for the Bucknell Review.

He was the recipient of numerous awards including the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching and the Bucknell Class of 1956 Lectureship for Inspirational Teaching. 

Michael was also honored with several grants and fellowships including Bucknell faculty research grants, a National Endowment for the Humanities research fellowship, a research fellowship with the Folger Shakespeare Library, and a visiting scholar position with the Warburg Institute at the University of London.

He was a member of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Lewisburg.

Michael served on the Lewisburg School Board for several years and wrote a weekly column in the Daily Item called, "On Books", where each week he reviewed a different book.  He stopped after he reached 500 books.

Michael was a caring man who loved his family, friends and the community he served.

Surviving are three sons, Edward “Ned” Payne, of Durham, England, Jeffrey Payne, of North Carolina and Albert Payne, of Lewisburg; one daughter, Jennifer Payne, of Oregon; and two grandsons, Devin and Jaysen Payne.

The family is planning a Memorial Service to be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, January 21 at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 255 South Derr Drive, Lewisburg, with the Rev. James Strader-Sasser, officiating.

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