Lois Dale Payne Dunn

Lois Dale Payne Dunn went home to be with the Lord on June 29, 2021 just two months shy of her 90^th birthday. Lois was born on September 1, 1931 in Covington, KY, to Gerald Eaton and Alma Gould Payne.  She is survived by her dear sisters Nancy Strawn and Peggy Hewett, her children Russell (Deborah) and Steven (Astrid) Dunn and Lorie Busch and eight grandchildren: Steven, Jeffrey and Kimberly Dunn, Jacquelin and Sorin Dunn and Samuel, Bethany and Andrew Busch.  Lois was preceded in death by her parents and her son-in-law Timothy Busch.

Lois graduated from Newport High School in the top ten percent of her class where she was voted most popular and prom queen and where she illustrated for the school paper the Newporter.  Lois studied liberal arts at the University of Kentucky where she was again elected as one of five prom queens.  With a lifelong love of art, Lois painted her first picture at age twelve of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane.  Her last painting of a young girl wearing a straw hat was completed when she was 82 while residing at Twin Towers Retirement Community in Cincinnati, OH.

Lois sold her first ink line drawing in the gallery exhibit at the University of Kentucky.  She left U.K. to study art at the Central Academy of Commercial Art in Cincinnati, Ohio and to begin her career as a graphic artist with the Gibson Greeting Card Company at age 20.  She was also an artist for Stauchen and McKim Advertising Agency and the Ray Spiess Studio.

Lois married Russell W. Dunn, moved to Clarksville, TN and free-lanced with Gibson Greeting Cards while Russell was serving in the United States Army at Fort Campbell, KY.  After the couple returned to Cincinnati, Lois continued to free-lance with the Gibson Greeting Card Company until her third child was born at which time Lois put her art career on hold to devote full time to raising a family.  Lois continued to study water color and oil painting at the University of Cincinnati Evening College and as a member of the Hilltop Artists, she displayed and sold her art at various locations around town earning first place at an art show in College Hill.  Lois also assisted with the girl scouts, taught Sunday school, sang in the church choir and worked with children in vacation Bible school in Buckhorn, Kentucky.  She gained inspiration traveling to Paris and Monte Martre France where she visited art galleries and museums including the Louvre.

Despite her popularity and talents, (Lois was also an accomplished pianist and organist), Lois struggled with her purpose in life.  After searching for some years, Lois came to know Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and savior.  This relationship brought her into a deep and abiding faith and daily dependence on God that sustained her for the rest of her earthly life.  She became actively involved in Christian service volunteering her artwork in the design of brochures, tracts, programs and stationary for College Hill Presbyterian Church.  She was elected to secretary, song and worship leader for Women Aglow International Fellowship and she was ordained a deacon at College Hill Presbyterian Church where she assisted in healing services, counseled and prayed with people and visited shut-ins to administer communion. She was delighted to make one pilgrimage to Israel.

After separating from her husband of 23 years, Lois returned to commercial art learning new skills and technologies while employed at Typeco Inc. as an artist and assistant to the production manager.  When Typeco’s business declined and she was laid off at age 51, Lois returned to free-lancing and enrolled as a full-time student at Mt. St. Joseph University Weekend College in Cincinnati where she studied calligraphy and how to prepare a resume.  Her final vocational opportunity provided Lois the honor and privilege of serving her Lord with her art at Equipping Ministries International (EMI), a parachurch training ministry dedicated to increasing the ministry impact and effectiveness of everyone in the church.  Lois retired from EMI in 2011 at age 80.

Although she never remarried, Lois loved to dance and at one seniors’ dance she met Leo Spitzmiller, a dear friend to share time with in her twilight years dancing, eating out, taking cruises and watching the Cincinnati Reds.

Lois purposed that all her children would come to know the one true God and the one whom He sent, Jesus Christ the Lord.  Today, all three of her children are active in their churches.  Russell is an adult teacher-trainer in St. Augustine, FL (Lois’s favorite vacation place), Steven is a missionary pastor in Germany (Lois enjoyed visiting the medieval castles and towns of Bavaria) and Lorie sings on the worship team at her church and works in Christian education in Oshkosh, WI where Lois spent her final years.

There will be memorial service for Lois on Sunday, August 15 at 2:00 PM at College Hill Presbyterian Church located at 5742 Hamilton Avenue in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Memorials may be made to Equipping Ministries International, 3908 Plainville Road #200, Cincinnati, OH 45227-3202.