Oakley Brooks Payne

BELLEVILLE - Infant Oakley Brooks Payne, of Belleville, passed away peacefully in the arms of his parents at American Family Children’s Hospital on Sunday, May 2, 2021. He was born on April 14, 2021, in Madison, the son of Alex and Kimberlin (Schrader) Payne. In addition to his parents, Oakley is survived by his big brothers, Benton and Liam; family pets, Coco, Teddy and Maeve; his grandparents, Scott and Dorothy Payne, and Larry and Jennifer Schrader; great-grandparents, Larry and Gerri Leum, and Ron and Teri Fiers; aunts, uncles, cousins and other loving family and friends. Oakley was preceded in death by his maternal great-grandmother, Barbara Fiers; and paternal great-grandparents, Hegbert and Ruth Payne, and Leslie and Eleanor Voigt. Oakley’s parents would like to thank the NICU doctors, nurses and palliative care team at Meriter Hospital and American Family Children’s Hospital for their extraordinary care and compassion for Oakley and his family. Oakley’s parents are heartbroken at the loss of their sweet son, but are forever thankful for the snuggles and memories they were able to make in his 19 days on earth. A service will be held at the family’s home in Belleville at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 15, 2021. Memorials in Oakley’s honor may be made to the family. They will be used to support the American Family Children’s Hospital and to create a Little Free Library which will be shared with their community. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. Gunderson Fitchburg Funeral & Cremation Care 2950 Chapel Valley Road (608) 442-5002