[List] Obituary: Sam Vance

[Hermann Miskelly]

We should all hope for such an obituary when our time comes.  I always 
enjoyed working with Sam and our chance encounters at various theatrical 
events across town.

On 8/29/2024 10:06 AM, Cecil Stokes wrote:
>
>
>     Samuel Ledcreigh Vance Obituary
>
> Samuel Ledcreigh Vance, 88, of Huntsville passed away at home on 
> August 22nd of natural causes, surrounded by his family. He was born 
> in Louisville, KY to Ledcreich Stuart and Frances Ervin Vance and was 
> a graduate of Atherton High School. He attended Vanderbilt University 
> and graduated with a BS in chemical engineering 1958.
>
> While at college, he was set up on a blind date with Mary Dolores 
> Patton by their respective best friends. While their friends were 
> making out in the front seat of the car, Sam and Dolores discovered 
> their mutual love of the songs of Tom Lehrer and (much to their 
> friends’ dismay) spent the evening singing songs like "Fight Fiercely, 
> Harvard”, “When You Are Old and Gray”, and the classic “Be Prepared”:
>
>   * If you're looking for adventure of a new and different kind
>   * And you come across a Girl Scout who is similarly inclined
>   * Don't be nervous, don't be flustered, don't be scared
>   * Be prepared!
>
> Sam and Dolores became engaged in 1958 and married on February 7, 
> 1959. Sam and Dolores moved to Huntsville, AL that year for Sam to 
> join Thiokol Chemical Corporation, where he worked on propellants and 
> explosives. Sam and Dolores welcomed their two sons, Ledcreigh Stuart 
> in 1963 and William Huntoon in 1966.
>
> Early in his career, Sam displayed a certain amount of bravado by 
> bringing home strips of propellant and on July 4th, shooting them out 
> of a homemade launcher. The strips would fire off at great speed, and 
> being flexible, performed exciting aerobatics before burning out. This 
> practice ended in 1969, when one of the strips rocketed into a 
> neighbor’s bush, vaporizing it on contact. Fortunately, their home 
> exterior was brick, so the damage was limited to the foliage. After 
> that, his boys were allowed only sparklers.
>
> Sam, being a man of the Silent Generation, began fatherhood suffering 
> from Stoic Male Syndrome. As his sons grew, his views of life and 
> family softened a great deal. He helped his boys with math and science 
> homework, did set construction for school plays, and attended races 
> run by his youngest, Billy. The first time Stuart came home from 
> college, rather than shaking hands, Sam gave him a bear hug. Stuart’s 
> response was, “Who are you and what have you done with my father?” 
> Later in life, Sam would tear up at the drop of a hat.
>
> Sam was a man of both refined as well as prurient interests. He 
> subscribed to Playboy magazine for almost 40 years, claiming that he 
> read the magazine primarily for the articles. He was a fan of 
> classical, folk, and Celtic music, and was a great supporter of 
> Huntsville’s public radio station, WLRH. He owned the entire 
> discography of Oscar Brand’s Bawdy Songs and Backroom Ballads but held 
> off introducing them to his sons until their late teens. Not because 
> he was concerned for their sensibilities, but because he didn’t think 
> that they would be able to appreciate the humor in songs like “None Is 
> Bigger Than Mine”, “Friggin in the Rigging”, and “The One-Eyed Riley”.
>
> Sam was preceded in death by his wife, Dolores, son, Billy, 
> daughter-in-law, Flo, and granddaughters, Sami and Cara. He is 
> survived by his son, Stuart; daughter-in-law, Teri; granddaughter, 
> Nikki; grandson-in-law, Maluhia; and great-grandsons, Kamakana and 
> Lanakila.
>
> Sam will be buried with his son, Billy, alongside Dolores in Spring 
> Hill Graveyard in Mobile, AL later this year. A wake will be held in 
> Huntsville in his honor on Wednesday September 4th at 5:00 p.m. at his 
> and Dolores’ favorite restaurant, Mangia Italian Restaurant at 2288 
> Zierdt Road. Please RSVP to ledcreigh at gmail.com if you would like to 
> attend.
>
> Donations in his memory may be made to WLRH at 
> https://aptv.org/wlrh-donation/.
>
> https://www.laughlinservice.com/obituaries/obituary-listings?obId=32928965
>
>
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