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It has come to my attention that Bill Payne, known on several RC sites as Gas Pump Bill, passed away last Fall.
From the e-mail I got from a friend who had spoken with his wife...
Bill died on October 22, 2010 of a stroke. He was 75 years old.
He had been married for 55 years to the same wife and they had been together since she was 16 years old.
Bill loved our group and would always talk about how nice the guys were and how helpful and friendly we all were.
She told me that she has a house full of toys, steam engines, boats, motors, etc., but that she has no intention of ever selling them because she feels they are part of their lives together. She specifically asked that people not contact her about buying anything because she intends to keep them and pass them to their kids.
She had some wonderful stories to tell of Bill. She said he could fix or build anything he put his mind to. He loved street rods and had several of them. He worked for Toyota but always wanted to put together a Model T street rod. Before he died he was working on making a Model T street rod that he called "ToyotaT". I think he was putting in a Toyota engine into it from what she tells me. She said it was going to have tons of polished brass on it. Also, he had one with a Volkswagon motor in it. I remember him sending us pictures of a Model T with no engine in it. She also said that he had been working on a hydroplane boat that I remember he was sharing with us on the group. He had sent it back to the foundry just before he died and she's not sure if it's finished or not.
You had to love the old antique gas pumps that he had, both big and small. They were very special to him. I'm sorry now that I didn't have the money to buy at least one when he was selling them. I think at least one of our group did buy one from him.
I will always remember the kind words he had for everyone and how quickly he gave his sage advice about any project someone was working on. He was a wonderful source of information.
I just ask that we all keep Bill in our prayers. He was a very good man and will be sorely missed.
Rest in Peace, "Gas Pump Bill."
From the e-mail I got from a friend who had spoken with his wife...
Bill died on October 22, 2010 of a stroke. He was 75 years old.
He had been married for 55 years to the same wife and they had been together since she was 16 years old.
Bill loved our group and would always talk about how nice the guys were and how helpful and friendly we all were.
She told me that she has a house full of toys, steam engines, boats, motors, etc., but that she has no intention of ever selling them because she feels they are part of their lives together. She specifically asked that people not contact her about buying anything because she intends to keep them and pass them to their kids.
She had some wonderful stories to tell of Bill. She said he could fix or build anything he put his mind to. He loved street rods and had several of them. He worked for Toyota but always wanted to put together a Model T street rod. Before he died he was working on making a Model T street rod that he called "ToyotaT". I think he was putting in a Toyota engine into it from what she tells me. She said it was going to have tons of polished brass on it. Also, he had one with a Volkswagon motor in it. I remember him sending us pictures of a Model T with no engine in it. She also said that he had been working on a hydroplane boat that I remember he was sharing with us on the group. He had sent it back to the foundry just before he died and she's not sure if it's finished or not.
You had to love the old antique gas pumps that he had, both big and small. They were very special to him. I'm sorry now that I didn't have the money to buy at least one when he was selling them. I think at least one of our group did buy one from him.
I will always remember the kind words he had for everyone and how quickly he gave his sage advice about any project someone was working on. He was a wonderful source of information.
I just ask that we all keep Bill in our prayers. He was a very good man and will be sorely missed.
Rest in Peace, "Gas Pump Bill."
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