Barbara Eloise Vance

1920 - 2018

Barbara Eloise (Kenagy) Vance, 97, passed away October 19, 2018, in Bozeman, MT. She was born December 22, 1920, in Rupert, Idaho, to Fayre and Hattie (McArthur) Kenagy. After graduating from Rupert High School, she enrolled in the University of Idaho at Moscow where she was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority.

On July 20, 1941, Barbara married Edward Pershing Vance "Persh" at the Paradise Point church camp situated on Payette Lake near McCall, Idaho. Their wedding was the first one performed at the camp. They honeymooned in a lookout tower in the Payette National Forest while he was working for the U.S. Forest Service. After Persh's military service in World War II, he worked for the Soil Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and she went with him wherever his work took them. While in Moses Lake, Washington, she worked as secretary for the Chief-of-Police. While in Ephrata, Washington, she worked as legal secretary for the Grant County Prosecuting Attorney. She and Persh moved to Bozeman in 1962 where they were active in Hope Lutheran Church. While residents of Bozeman, she went with Persh on a long-term temporary assignment to Chandargh, India (1968-1972). After returning from India, she went with Persh to Lincoln, Nebraska, where he retired. From 1974 to 1976 they worked on agricultural projects for the Near East Foundation in Maseru, Lesotho, and from 1977 to 1979 in Arusha, Tanzania. In 1979 she and Persh returned to the place they loved the most: Bozeman. After 70 years of marriage, she was widowed in Bozeman during 2012.

A few of her favorite things were travelling, skiing, swimming, knitting, reading, Key Lime pie, Griffon dogs, the Gerbera Daisy, the hymn "How Great Thou Art", the movie "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World", and the color Turquoise.

Barbara was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; and her sister, Katie (Kenagy) Hoggatt. She is survived by her three sons, Capt. Michael Vance SC USN (Ret) of Bozeman, Montana, Dr. Corwin Vance of Shorewood, Minnesota, and Richard Vance, P.E. of Richland, Washington. She is also survived by six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

No services are planned at this time.

Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service. www.dokkennelson.com