Robert Leone Vance's Obituary
Dear Friends and Family;Bob Vance died on Palm Sunday, April 9th, 2017 at about 6:15pm. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer about 30 days prior to his passing. He was 79 years old.Dad had been feeling weak and tired for a couple of months. In early March doctors performed a scan that revealed cancer on his pancreas and liver. A subsequent biopsy showed the disease had spread and was incurable. We set up hospice care in the living room of his home and our family tended to his end-of-life care with the guidance of a nurse. He was at home with his family to the very end.Bob was born in Wahoo, Nebraska to Eathel P. and Leone C. (“Pug”) Vance and lived his first years in the back of their grocery store. Later they moved to a house in Wahoo. At about 14 years of age his parents bought a farm 5 miles from town and retired there.As a boy his passion was electronics. He told many stories about the things he built in the basement when he was a teenager – often remarking that it was a miracle he survived as much of the equipment he worked on contained lethal voltages. His parents were completely unaware of the dangers of his curiosity.After high school Bob attended a technical college in a nearby town in Nebraska and studied electronics. Upon completing his technical training in 1958 he traveled West in his convertible sports car to stay with his half-sister, Dorothy, in Encinitas, California. Shortly after arriving in California he landed a job at Ryan Aeronautical Company as a stockroom clerk. He retired 50 years later.Bob met and married Barbara Dargitz in 1961. In 1965 Robert Curtis (then known as Robby, now Rob) was born and a year later they bought a home in University City, a neighborhood within the city of San Diego.In 1986 Bob & Barbara divorced and in 1994 Bob married Mary Fos.Bob is survived by his wife Mary Vance, son Robert C. Vance (Rob), and step-daughter Patricia (Tishia) Berry; and grandchildren Robert T. Vance, Colette J. Vance, Lauren Berry, and Jason Berry.Memorial Mass Celebration:10:30 AM, Saturday, April 22nd, 20017A reception will follow the service.Our Mother of Confidence Catholic Church3131 Governor DriveSan Diego, CA92122
What’s your fondest memory of Robert?
What’s a lesson you learned from Robert?
Share a story where Robert's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Robert you’ll never forget.
How did Robert make you smile?