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John Payn obituary
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DescriptionI knew I had these photos of John Payn the lawn mowing man at Greymouth's Karoro Cemetery somewhere. John was also very obliging when it came to finding your family for you. I took these photos on the day he got his new lawn mower and he insisted that I get a good photo of his mower tooMap[1] ContributorBrian McIntyre
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PersonJohn Payn
From Facebook
CommentsBrenda Brown
Awesome‼️RIP miss him up there with his lawn mower could always count on him
Del Godfrey
Yes, helped me many times finding graves, and was so thoughtful to level mum and dads gravesite. RIP John, you have earned great wings
Mick Bernadette O'Donnell
He did a fantastic job . The cemetery always looked very neat. RIP
Debbie Cogger Griffin
Such a lovely guy He will be sadly missed by many
Brian Wright
John was a gentleman gone to young
Lynn Turnbull
So helpful when finding info at cemetery.... helped me find my great grandmothers grave ...will be sorely missed x
Brenda Lavery
A great work mate - we all miss him and his sense of humour and table dancing abilities at work functions
Teresa Smith
So very sad, rest easy John
Adele Simpson
Such a.lovely man, i have many fond memories of John
Glenda O'Donnell
What a nice man he was
Lizzie Thow
Went to school with John good guy
Jenny Mclellan
Real neat photo of him brian that's how I remembered him
Was always so helpful
Jillian Morrison
Ron Craig is this Maurice Payn’s brother?
Margaret Riordan
Jillian Morrison No, he was the son of Arthur Payn who was Maurice’s brother.
Graham Hay
Brian, You may be pleased to know the photo on the left was used on his service sheet.
Brian McIntyre
Author
Graham Hay thanks Graham. No I didnt know that. Thank you
Mary Wakefield
One of the best.!!
Cherish Rose
A awesome customer at supervalue and fresh choice when I was a teenager, lovely guy.
Elizabeth Ann Beech
He helped me find an unmarked grave of a woman whose funeral my great grandmother paid for. Never found out why that happened.
Sharon Burnett
RIP John.
Lynn Welsford
I remember John fondly from his hospital working days as well as at the cemetery. Rest easy John.x
Jane Blakeman
Is John Payn a relative of Maurice Payn and Joe Payn?
Margaret Riordan
Jane Blakeman He was their nephew.
Jane Blakeman
Margaret Riordan thank you
Delwyn Hughes
Lovely photos, a gentle guy who always said hello , sorry to hear of his passing RIP
Gavin Davy
One of our unheralded heroes.
Donna Vincent
Rest in Paradise
John .
You will be sadly missed
Michele Wilkins
Very sad to read this post about John
I had the pleasure of working alongside John through the council - always very helpful in assisting me find the plots for family history enquires. A lovely gentleman that will be missed.
Trish Rennie
Really saddened to hear that you've passed John Always so very kind and helpful. Will most certainly be missed. RIP gentle John
Tom Esta Richardson
A lovely friendly man
Margaret Cairney
RIP John. My condolences to all who loved him.
Reply
Karla Haussmann
He loved working at the cemetery and I wonder if it be as well tended as he had it
Bull Haussmann
Karla Haussmann they'll have a hard time trying to replace John he really did do a great job looking after the cemeteries
Tania Peacock Efford
Karla Haussmann , probably not
Karen Oleary
John was a lovely man always spoke to you
Anne Miller Mcmillan
Thank u for sharing these photos. Brian.. John was a lovely lovely guy. love to Karla
Lyn Whittle
So very sad , I heard about his passing while preparing mums funeral from Laurie Anisy. Such a shock the cemetery won’t look as pristine anymore he always went above & beyond in his job. A huge loss
John Crossan
Great guy you will be missed
Trish Griffin
He knew where everyone rested he kept the cemetery pristine RIP
Nancy Phil
RIP John!
Anna Panther
Such a sad time but John, you leave behind beautiful memories for so many! So respected by many people! R.I.P John - thinking of you Karla
Kevin Mills
Rest in peace John condolences to his family
Chris Chamberlain
RIP John
Karen Green
I was at Karoro cemetry last week and I have told many people how absolutely amazing that cemetry is kept
Leanna Gillespie Annie
You will be sadly missed John by a lot of people
Colleen Cochrane
Yes it was sad about John a bit young .
Linda Winchester
Rest In Peace John we are so honored to have known such a caring person
Maureen Frankpitt
Rest In Peace John
Reply
13h
Aaron Drake
Time to relax payno. Rip
Donna Hegan
Very nice guy we had some good chats RIP John
Jason Baxter
Is this the same John Payne that grew up in Dobson as a kid ?
Alan Campbell
Jason Baxter sure is
Jason Baxter
RIP John
Pauline Schafer
Sorry to hear he's passed. He was a neighbour of mine in Dobson too.
Alan Campbell
Pauline Schafer yip just up on the corner
Sheena Russell
Rest easy John a kind gentle soul.
Karen Hamilton
Thank you John for your amazing work keeping the cemetery looking great for many years. You will be missed.
Jann Hines
Did a great job looking after our loved ones thank u John
Jordyn Coppell
Thats so sad, I thought I hadn't seen him there for awhile, was such a friendly character, rip John
Debz Muston
It's actually very well tended. I have an uncle who does the lawns there
Brian McIntyre
Author
Before I put up my original post a few years back I had told John when I took these photos just how much his work at the cemetery was appreciated by those on Facebook. John would be chuffed but embarrassed at the number of kind messages to him at this time.
Brian McIntyre
Author
Does anyone know where John is buried. Im coming down to Greymouth soon and would like to say hello
Annie Van Looy
Brian McIntyre oh Brian i didn't know he passed he kept the cemetery so lovely
Michelle Gibson
You did an amazing job of keeping the cemetery looking good John RIP xxx
Graham Uren
John was a good dobson bloke. Rip in peace fella
Lynn Turnbull
I think its Gladstone Brian McIntyre but not 100 %
Les Bryce
Lynn Turnbull That's Greymouth not Gladstone. Too many old headstones for Gladstone.
Ray Deo
I think this is the fellow In Greymouth known by his Nick name "Tea Pot."
Stephen Hunter
A Great School mate gone too soon RIP Mate
Neil Bannister
That was the man that saw we were looking for someone when we were there some years ago.
Helped my wife find her grandfather.
Awesome.
Debora Tracey Pedersen-Gould
A lovely lovely general man will be sadly missed
Jessie Scott
Josephine Morehu Kayleen might like to see this
Karen Aynsley
I miss our chats John, just as you enjoyed the ones with dad. The cemetery will be kept nice but will never be the same. Thank you again for all your help finding relatives headstones and the chats..... we never did get round to that car swap lol
Awesome‼️RIP miss him up there with his lawn mower could always count on him
Del Godfrey
Yes, helped me many times finding graves, and was so thoughtful to level mum and dads gravesite. RIP John, you have earned great wings
Mick Bernadette O'Donnell
He did a fantastic job . The cemetery always looked very neat. RIP
Debbie Cogger Griffin
Such a lovely guy He will be sadly missed by many
Brian Wright
John was a gentleman gone to young
Lynn Turnbull
So helpful when finding info at cemetery.... helped me find my great grandmothers grave ...will be sorely missed x
Brenda Lavery
A great work mate - we all miss him and his sense of humour and table dancing abilities at work functions
Teresa Smith
So very sad, rest easy John
Adele Simpson
Such a.lovely man, i have many fond memories of John
Glenda O'Donnell
What a nice man he was
Lizzie Thow
Went to school with John good guy
Jenny Mclellan
Real neat photo of him brian that's how I remembered him
Was always so helpful
Jillian Morrison
Ron Craig is this Maurice Payn’s brother?
Margaret Riordan
Jillian Morrison No, he was the son of Arthur Payn who was Maurice’s brother.
Graham Hay
Brian, You may be pleased to know the photo on the left was used on his service sheet.
Brian McIntyre
Author
Graham Hay thanks Graham. No I didnt know that. Thank you
Mary Wakefield
One of the best.!!
Cherish Rose
A awesome customer at supervalue and fresh choice when I was a teenager, lovely guy.
Elizabeth Ann Beech
He helped me find an unmarked grave of a woman whose funeral my great grandmother paid for. Never found out why that happened.
Sharon Burnett
RIP John.
Lynn Welsford
I remember John fondly from his hospital working days as well as at the cemetery. Rest easy John.x
Jane Blakeman
Is John Payn a relative of Maurice Payn and Joe Payn?
Margaret Riordan
Jane Blakeman He was their nephew.
Jane Blakeman
Margaret Riordan thank you
Delwyn Hughes
Lovely photos, a gentle guy who always said hello , sorry to hear of his passing RIP
Gavin Davy
One of our unheralded heroes.
Donna Vincent
Rest in Paradise
John .
You will be sadly missed
Michele Wilkins
Very sad to read this post about John
I had the pleasure of working alongside John through the council - always very helpful in assisting me find the plots for family history enquires. A lovely gentleman that will be missed.
Trish Rennie
Really saddened to hear that you've passed John Always so very kind and helpful. Will most certainly be missed. RIP gentle John
Tom Esta Richardson
A lovely friendly man
Margaret Cairney
RIP John. My condolences to all who loved him.
Reply
Karla Haussmann
He loved working at the cemetery and I wonder if it be as well tended as he had it
Bull Haussmann
Karla Haussmann they'll have a hard time trying to replace John he really did do a great job looking after the cemeteries
Tania Peacock Efford
Karla Haussmann , probably not
Karen Oleary
John was a lovely man always spoke to you
Anne Miller Mcmillan
Thank u for sharing these photos. Brian.. John was a lovely lovely guy. love to Karla
Lyn Whittle
So very sad , I heard about his passing while preparing mums funeral from Laurie Anisy. Such a shock the cemetery won’t look as pristine anymore he always went above & beyond in his job. A huge loss
John Crossan
Great guy you will be missed
Trish Griffin
He knew where everyone rested he kept the cemetery pristine RIP
Nancy Phil
RIP John!
Anna Panther
Such a sad time but John, you leave behind beautiful memories for so many! So respected by many people! R.I.P John - thinking of you Karla
Kevin Mills
Rest in peace John condolences to his family
Chris Chamberlain
RIP John
Karen Green
I was at Karoro cemetry last week and I have told many people how absolutely amazing that cemetry is kept
Leanna Gillespie Annie
You will be sadly missed John by a lot of people
Colleen Cochrane
Yes it was sad about John a bit young .
Linda Winchester
Rest In Peace John we are so honored to have known such a caring person
Maureen Frankpitt
Rest In Peace John
Reply
13h
Aaron Drake
Time to relax payno. Rip
Donna Hegan
Very nice guy we had some good chats RIP John
Jason Baxter
Is this the same John Payne that grew up in Dobson as a kid ?
Alan Campbell
Jason Baxter sure is
Jason Baxter
RIP John
Pauline Schafer
Sorry to hear he's passed. He was a neighbour of mine in Dobson too.
Alan Campbell
Pauline Schafer yip just up on the corner
Sheena Russell
Rest easy John a kind gentle soul.
Karen Hamilton
Thank you John for your amazing work keeping the cemetery looking great for many years. You will be missed.
Jann Hines
Did a great job looking after our loved ones thank u John
Jordyn Coppell
Thats so sad, I thought I hadn't seen him there for awhile, was such a friendly character, rip John
Debz Muston
It's actually very well tended. I have an uncle who does the lawns there
Brian McIntyre
Author
Before I put up my original post a few years back I had told John when I took these photos just how much his work at the cemetery was appreciated by those on Facebook. John would be chuffed but embarrassed at the number of kind messages to him at this time.
Brian McIntyre
Author
Does anyone know where John is buried. Im coming down to Greymouth soon and would like to say hello
Annie Van Looy
Brian McIntyre oh Brian i didn't know he passed he kept the cemetery so lovely
Michelle Gibson
You did an amazing job of keeping the cemetery looking good John RIP xxx
Graham Uren
John was a good dobson bloke. Rip in peace fella
Lynn Turnbull
I think its Gladstone Brian McIntyre but not 100 %
Les Bryce
Lynn Turnbull That's Greymouth not Gladstone. Too many old headstones for Gladstone.
Ray Deo
I think this is the fellow In Greymouth known by his Nick name "Tea Pot."
Stephen Hunter
A Great School mate gone too soon RIP Mate
Neil Bannister
That was the man that saw we were looking for someone when we were there some years ago.
Helped my wife find her grandfather.
Awesome.
Debora Tracey Pedersen-Gould
A lovely lovely general man will be sadly missed
Jessie Scott
Josephine Morehu Kayleen might like to see this
Karen Aynsley
I miss our chats John, just as you enjoyed the ones with dad. The cemetery will be kept nice but will never be the same. Thank you again for all your help finding relatives headstones and the chats..... we never did get round to that car swap lol
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West Coast New Zealand History (23rd Jan 2022). John Payn obituary. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 7th Apr 2026 02:22, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/30580