Donald Vance

Donald Kenneth Vance, 89, of Mt. Pleasant, S.C., formerly of Urbanna, passed away Saturday, August 30, 2014, at Somerby Assisted Living. Don was born on November 24, 1924, in Jenkinjones, West Virginia, the son of Jesse L. Vance and Katherine Bowling Vance. He married Gloria Lou VanStavern on May 31, 1946. They were married for 54 years. He was educated in Gary, West Virginia, public schools and graduated from Concord University, Athens, West Virginia. He worked in several business areas — trucking, busing, insurance and as a bank examiner — however, he found his passion for helping others as a community banker with the Bank of Middlesex in Urbanna in 1962, beginning as a cashier and ending his career as president prior to the sale of the bank. The bank was sold in 1982 to First Virginia Bankshares and subsequently to BB&T. Don retired in 1989 and devoted his time to community service, playing golf, assisting with his grandchildren, and furthering his education. He finished his undergraduate degree at Concord University in December 2010 at the age of 86 to complete a promise made in 1942 to his father. A man of his word, he will be loved forever and will be greatly missed.

Those left to honor his memory include his children, Kathy (Wayne) Hall of Mt. Pleasant, S.C.; Ken (Jane) Vance of Statesville, N.C.; and Rick (Barbara) Vance of Midlothian; his grandchildren, Adam (Elizabeth) Hall of Ellicott City, MD; John (Lauren) Hall of Mt. Airy, MD; Wells (Sarah Yancey) Vance of Davidson, N.C.; Anne Tyson Vance of Winston-Salem, N.C.; Kathryn Vance of Charlotte, N.C.; Melissa Vance of Midlothian, and Sarah Vance of Yorktown; and one great-grandson, Addison James Hall of Ellicott City, MD. He was preceded in death by his wife, Gloria, his parents and eight brothers and sisters. The family wishes to acknowledge the loving support of the dedicated staff at Somerby Assisted Living and Agape Hospice. A celebration of life will be held at Somerby Assisted Living at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 6. A memorial service is planned at Urbanna United Methodist Church on Saturday, September 27, at 2 p.m. J. Henry Stuhr Inc. Funeral Chapels and Crematory, Charleston, S.C., will be handling arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Urbanna United Methodist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 217, Urbanna, VA 23175 or to Eastbridge Presbyterian Church, 3058 Highway 17 North, Mt. Pleasant, S.C. These funds will be used to support the Senior Ministry and its outreach at the church in which Don was active.