Meet Debbie Payne

Deborah Lee Payne, also known as Debbie, has come to live with us at Caring House. We are honored.

Debbie was born in Los Angeles, the first born of Karen (Robinson) and Charles Payne. Raised in La Verne, CA, she attended St. Lucy’s Priory in Glendora. She began her college education at U.C. Davis and she finished her Bachelor’s degree at Cal Poly Pomona.

After graduation, Debbie worked as a Child Care Counselor at McKinley Children’s Center in San Dimas, a residential home for abused children. She then went to work for an insurance company where the money was good but the job was not rewarding. She went back to work at McKinley and decided to become a social worker and received her Master’s in Social Work at Cal State Los Angeles. Her first job as a social worker was Optimus Youth Homes and Family Services (Los Angeles) working with six teenage boys on probation as a Social Worker and Group Home Administrator in Carson.

Through the years Debbie has run 5Ks, 10Ks and a marathon, and played tennis and basketball. Debbie enjoys sports in general. As a child she also enjoyed camping and fishing with her family — and that, she says, was “real” camping (not in RVs)!

In 1992, Debbie spent two months in Colombia (South America) helping to build an International Bible Center. In 2000, she spent three months in Nicaragua (Central America) helping to build an orphanage and school.

Her faith is very important to her and she is involved with Shepherds Church in Gardena where she’s had great joy being a bible study teacher. She views her mission work, her bible teaching, and her role as a spiritual mom for at risk youths as the most rewarding achievements in her life.

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for hospice patients of Torrance Memorial Medical Center, Debbie has served many residents at Caring House.

We are glad that Debbie is with us at Caring House. We look forward to caring for this energetic and caring woman of faith and service.

In Memoriam

Debbie passed away on June 18, 2021. Honor her. Remember her.