Remembering Reginald “Reggie” Payne

“Easy going,” “quiet,” and a “great leader” are just a few words to describe 42 year-old Reginald Payne, known to his co-workers as Reggie. Tragically, Reggie lost his life in the line of duty Tuesday when he was struck by part of a broken utility pole.

Reggie began his career at MLGW in 1989 as a helper/apprentice and from there rose through the ranks working within Electric Distribution. He was working as a crew leader at the time of his death. Steve Ledford, General Supervisor, Distribution Support, said that the hard worker wanted to keep moving up professionally within the Division.

“He wanted to move up and eventually work in management,” said Ledford. “He was a really good person. He stepped up and took this job when no one else wanted the work. He could have worked somewhere else because he had seniority, but he chose this (job) because he wanted the challenge.”

Ledford said the work involved forming a crew of about eight workers to work on this special project, a year-long project that had been going on four months. Ledford said the work was a real challenge, but that Reggie looked forward to it.

“This work is really hard and heavy work, and not a lot of people want to do it, but Reggie stepped up. He was a good leader,” Ledford said. “People respected him. He didn’t brow beat those who worked on his crew and he led by example.”

Chris Enos, General Supervisor, Elec., Dist. Suppt., worked with Reggie for five years and said everyone knew Reggie as a great guy. “He was a hard worker. He was the kind of guy who got out and worked with his crew. He wouldn’t ask any more of them than he would ask of himself. He put everybody’s needs and wants ahead of his, and he was willing to teach what he knew to others. He’s going to be missed. I told him I wish I had more employees like him.”

The jobs that many MLGW employees perform daily involve dangerous and grueling work. Let us not take for granted the work these men and women do every day.

Enos said the job of a lineman involves dangerous work and every precaution is taken on the job to ensure safety. “Nobody can believe this happened. You work with someone for years and don’t think about something like this happening. You go to work every day, kiss your wife and kids, but don’t know if you’re coming home.”

MLGW’s Board of Commissioners will read a resolution honoring Reginald Payne at its June 17 meeting and MLGW officials will hold a special memorial service in MLGW’s Administration Building at a date to be announced in July. The employees who were on site with Reggie were given Wednesday off and will receive grief counseling on Thursday.

Reggie leaves behind his father, Roosevelt Payne; his mother, Pearl Payne; a son, Dericho Payne; a daughter, Reketa Payne; and a stepson, Bevin Carpenter II