Diana Gwyn Payne

Diana Gwyn Payne, 52, of Little Rock, Arkansas, died on February 8th after a valiant, three and three quarters years battle with breast cancer. She fought the cancer until the end. Beloved daughter of Judy E. Smith and George B. Foster, she was born in Downey, California on March 26, 1962. During her childhood Diana lived in many states across the U.S. She went to high school in Texarkana, AR and graduated in the Class of 1980. Diana met her husband, Jacques Payne, through e-Harmony.com and quickly realized she had met the love of her life. After a period of long distance dating, Jacques moved to Little Rock and they bought a new home. Both of them knew they were always meant to be together. Surrounded by 150 family members and friends with their grandson, Jackson, as the best man, and their granddaughter, Gracie, as the maid of honor, they were married on March 9th, 2013 in Jacksonville, Ark. This was their dream wedding—one with a relaxed atmosphere, lots of food, lots of dancing, and plenty of love. Good times were had by all. Shortly before Mother's Day 2011, Diana discovered a lump in her right breast. The mass was biopsied and found to be cancerous. Further testing revealed she had Stage IIIC breast cancer (an advanced stage of breast cancer). The diagnosis was devastating, as Diana had routinely had mammograms every six months. This was followed by a litany of treatments with chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation. Diana always positive and selfless throughout her cancer journey. Her positivity and courage were a great inspiration to others. While she was navigating the unknown and unfamiliar landscape of cancer treatment, she always made time to share her story and counsel other women who were newly diagnosed. Diana was most proud of being a mother and grandmother, raising her two children and spoiling her two grandchildren. Outside of her focus on family, she became an ardent supporter of educating others about metastatic breast cancer. She participated with family and friends in the annual Race for the Cure walk in Little Rock, wanting to bring more awareness to the challenges faced by women and men with Stage IV breast cancer. Diana championed groups specifically dedicated to those with advanced breast cancer, like the Metastatic Breast Cancer Network (MBCN). She felt the needs of those with Stage IV breast cancer were greatly underrepresented. Her hobbies included dancing, photography, reading, genealogy, fishing, and travel. In 2014, Diana and her husband, Jacques, took the family on a trip to Aruba. She cried tears of joy as they watched their grandchildren, Jackson and Gracie, enjoy dipping their toes into the Caribbean and being on the beach for the first time. Diana and Jacques also delighted in watching their little niece, Joelle, playing in the waves and sand for the first time, celebrating her 2nd birthday on the beach. During the first week of June 2014, Diana's best friend, Barbara Norman, and her husband, Don, joined Diana and Jacques for a week in Aruba. They spent a relaxing week hanging out on the beach, touring the island, and enjoying the delicious fare from local restaurants. Diana and Jacques' room is on the second floor of a building in the front of the resort, which has a lovely view of the Caribbean. During the Payne's and Norman's stay, they had the rare opportunity to view baby birds in a nest in a palm tree near their balcony being fed by their parents. During the week, Diana documented the baby birds as they grew and left the nest in digital photos. She got some excellent shots. With their dear friends, Barbara and Don, Diana and Jacques had one of their best and most relaxing vacations ever. 2014 proved to be a most challenging year. As the year came to a close, Diana and Jacques needed a break, so they booked a trip to Mexico to relax. They stayed at a lovely resort with beautiful grounds and wonderful restaurants. This trip provided them with some much needed respite. Diana knew this would be her last trip abroad. Jacques was glad that he could take Diana on this last beach trip. He would do anything for his beloved. They both loved vacationing in locales with nice beaches. Diana is survived by her husband, Jacques D. Payne of Little Rock, Ark.; her daughter Amber N. German and son-in-law, Robert German of North Little Rock, Ark.; her son, Corey R. Shumate and daughter-in-law, Emily A. Shumate of Conway, Ark.; her grandchildren, Jackson T. Robertson and Gracelyn G. German of North Little Rock, Ark.; her parents and step-parents, Judy E. Smith and Tim Smith of North Little Rock, Ark. and George B. Foster and Maria Foster of Lewisville, Ark.; half-brother, Mark DuBoise of Corona, Calif.; half brother, Kyle Foster, of Texarkana, Texas; sister-in-Law, Joyce Gibson and niece, Joelle Gibson of Queens, N.Y.; nephew, Tommy and niece-in-law, Jenna DuBoise of Corona, Calif.; and her labradors, Abigail and Sofia of Little Rock. She is predeceased by her half-brother, Jeb Foster, who died on May 24th, 1994. A visitation will be held on Friday, February 13, 2015 from 6-8 p.m. at Roller-Chenal Funeral Home at 13801 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, Ark. 72211. The funeral will be held at 2 p.m., Friday, February 14, 2015 at Roller-Chenal Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you honor Diana by making a donation to one of the organizations that she was passionate about: Metastatic Breast Cancer Network, www.mbcn.org, Metavivor, metavivor.org. Online guestbook: www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/chenal.