Beverly Anderson
Duane Walter Payne, age 27
March 4, 1917 –
October 9, 1944
“With deep gratitude to our hero, we honor the life and service of Pvt. Duane Walter Payne, a true patriot who laid down his life protecting the freedoms we hold dear.”
Visitation for Duane W. Payne will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at the Brenny Family Funeral Chapel in Staples.
Burial will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, September 11, 2026 at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery, Little Falls.
Duane was born March 4, 1917, to Walter G. Payne and Laura B. (Williams) Payne in Motley. He was raised with strong Midwestern values of hard work, faith and patriotism.
On October 24, 1940, he married Lorna A. Hagen in Todd County. Together they began building a life centered on love and family. Duane was a devoted husband and father who especially enjoyed playing his guitar and spending time with his wife and their three young children.
With World War II underway, Duane answered the nation’s call and enlisted in the United States Army on February 11, 1944, in Brainerd. He arrived in Liverpool, England, on February 24, 1944, before landing in Normandy, France, on June 14, 1944, as Allied forces fought to liberate Europe.
He served with Company L, 3rd Battalion, 117th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division, where he courageously fought in the European Theater. During combat operations in Germany, Duane was wounded and reported Missing in Action on October 9, 1944. After a year of uncertainty for his family, he was officially declared Killed in Action on October 9, 1945.
Pvt. Payne’s bravery and faithful service were recognized with numerous military honors, including the Purple Heart, Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Marksmanship Badge, World War II Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation, Army Good Conduct Medal, and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.
He is survived by five grandchildren, Walter (Lori) Payne, Linda (Dennis) Bowman, Annette (David) Brieger, Michael Payne and Jodi Reid; 19 great-grandchildren and 14 great-great-grandchildren.
Those who passed away while he was Missing in Action were his beloved wife, Lorna Payne; three children, Joyce (JD) (Marilyn) Payne, Clarice Ann Payne and Quentin Leroy Payne; parents, Walter and Laura Payne; one brother, Ivan Payne and one sister, Iras Chapin.
-Brenny Funeral Home
w38c A00006B2026SP09
