BROOKSVILLE, Fla. - Joan E. Payne was born on Dec. 29, 1937, in Oneonta. She was the daughter of George and Marguerite Payne.

Joan graduated from Oneonta High School, then entered the Salvation Army Training School.

While serving as a Salvation Army officer, she met and married Robert Shannon in 1959. They had a daughter, Kristin. Together they served churches in Forestville, New York and Sarasota, Florida. While living in Sarasota, she taught elementary school in Sarasota and Bradenton. Rev. Shannon passed away in 1988.

In 1989, Joan married Rev. Edwin Wallace in Northport, Florida. Joan taught elementary school in the Venice area until her retirement in 1993. At that time they moved to Wesleyan Village in Brooksville, Florida, where Joan was active in the Wesleyan Bible Conference and the Brooksville Wesleyan Church. Rev. Wallace passed away in May of 2011.

On May 2, 2015, Joan married Major Earl Schaffer (Ret.) who had been an officer in the Salvation Army for more than 50 years. They rekindled a relationship that had begun as high school friends 63 years prior. Earl and Joan spent their time in Brooksville and Barto, Pennsylvania. Earl passed on Nov. 19, 2020 in Brooksville.

Following an extended illness, Joan went to Jesus on Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020. She is reunited in Heaven, along with her beloved husbands, with her daughter, Kristin Dickau and her parents, George and Marguerite.

Joan is survived by seven sisters and two brothers, and her grandchildren, William, Kathryn and Robert Dickau and her son-in-law, William Dickau. She is also survived by three stepchildren from her marriage to Robert Shannon, Albert, Patricia and Bruce; and a stepdaughter, Lois, from her marriage to Edwin. Her stepsons, Jon and Eric Schaffer, were Earl's sons.

Joan was very involved in Grief Share Ministry at BWC and had a deep passion for missions and evangelism. Gifts in memory of Joan would be a blessing to her.

Memorial services were Dec. 9, at Brooksville Wesleyan Church. Burial will be private.