Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Vance, Vern R. May 18, 2012
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Nan Wheaton wheaton1624@yahoo.com September 25, 2015, 3:03 am

Ionia Sentinel-Standard - Thurs. May 24, 2012

Vernon Vance died at home on May 18, 2012 with his family nearby.

Vern was born in Kenosha, Wis., in 1930 to Ralph and Minnie Vance. He grew up 
in Belding, where he was active in sports and scouting, attaining the rank of 
Eagle Scout before graduating from Belding High School. He attended Central and 
Western Michigan University and received a B.S. in Education. He accepted a 
teaching position at Ionia High School where he was instrumental in developing 
the boy's gymnastics program, winning a state championship in 1962. It was in 
Ionia that he met Sharon Hoy and they were married in 1957. The next year they 
had a son, Blake, and a daughter, Lisa, arrived two years later.

They moved to Lansing in 1965 where Vern taught at Waverly Schools where he 
coached many sports. He later received a Masters Degree from M.S.U., making him 
a Spartan for life. In 1974, the family bought a cottage on Beaver Island and 
moved there every summer where Vern enjoyed the beautiful sunsets (grading each 
one). It was on the island that he raised monarch butterflies, helped protect 
the piping plovers and taught drivers training.

After retiring from teaching, Vern and Sharon moved to Traverse City to help 
raise their grandkids. They spent many winters on the Gulf of Mexico on Orange 
Beach, Ala., with their snowbird friends.

Vern's hobbies included cycling, tennis, swimming, shooting pool, playing 
cards, watching sports and cooking for his family.

Vern is survived by his wife of 55 years, Sharon; his brother Keith; son, Blake 
(Susan); daughter, Lisa Gillespie (Robert); and grandkids, Brady, Mackenzie and 
Lily Vance and Cody Gillespie.

A memorial gathering is being planned for later in June.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like friends to consider donating blood or 
making memorial contributions to Michigan Blood.

Please share thoughts with the family at Vern's online guest book at 
www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com.

The family is being served by the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home and Cremation 
Services.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/v/vance31997nob.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/

File size: 2.6 Kb