Nordheim celebrated Mayor Katherine Payne’s 17-year tenure at the Recreation Center, which she helped renovate from a fire truck garage into a venue for proms and other community events.
“She had this vision where the kids could come to the Rec Center in the summer when it’s hot,” her daughter, Christie Bybee, said.
Mayor Payne was born and raised in Nordheim to a banking family and married her high school sweetheart. Over the years, the family led a transient life, moving every two years due to Mr. Payne’s work in the oil and gas industry. Denver was their last destination before Mr. Payne passed away in 1984. During that time, Mayor Payne became a coach, creating a competitive girls' Little League softball team that fed into Cherry Creek High School in Denver.
