Miles Elliott Vance

1932 - 2023

Miles Elliott Vance, 91, of Charlottesville, Virginia, died on November 24, 2023 at the University of Virginia Medical Center, surrounded by loving family members. He was born in Findlay, Ohio on January 2, 1932 to Walter Shuler Vance and Mabel Emily George Vance. Miles was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Victoria Vance Moseley, and brother-in-law Philip H. Moseley; his wife of 62 years, Bonnie Lou Osborn Vance; and his cousins, Albert George, Elliott George, Lewis Paul Angotti, and Rodney Angotti. He is survived by his brothers, David Willard Vance (Miriam J.) of Findlay, Ohio and George Walter Vance (Francoise) of Reims, France; his daughters, Barbara S. Vance (Richard D. Janda) of Bloomington, Indiana and Karen B. Michie (Edmund R.) of Charlottesville, Virginia; his son, Joseph E. Vance (Joanne L. Weiss-Vance) of Durham, North Carolina; his grandchildren, Molly Michie, Caroline Vance, Julianne Vance, John Vance, Claire Janda, Lily Vance, and Annabel Vance; and many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews.

Miles grew up in Findlay, Ohio and loved the semi-rural setting of the West Park neighborhood where he and his siblings and friends spent many happy hours outside. While attending Findlay High School, Miles worked part time at his grandfather's store, the George Brothers grocery located at the northeast corner of South Main and East Lincoln Streets. He majored in Physics at Bowling Green State University, graduating in 1953, and was then drafted into the US Army. He married Bonnie Lou Osborn in Findlay on June 12, 1955, and they moved first to Laurel, Maryland, where Miles finished his military service, and then back to Ohio, where he completed his PhD in Physics at The Ohio State University in 1962.

In January 1963, Miles took a position as research scientist with Corning Glass Works, where he was to spend his entire professional career. Over the years, he made significant contributions to Corning's development of lasers, fiber optics, and photochromic glass. Miles and Bonnie made their home in Corning, New York for 42 years, with an interlude in Raleigh, North Carolina from 1968-1976 while Miles worked in Corning's biomedical unit. As a couple, Miles and Bonnie were active at the First United Methodist Church in Corning and Highland United Methodist Church in Raleigh, participating in small-group study and many hands-on educational and social justice outreach initiatives. They were members of the Steuben County (NY) Environmental Management Council and sang with the Corning Philharmonic Society Chorus for many seasons.

Miles cared deeply about sustainability and social justice, and his hobbies reflected those concerns. He rode his bicycle to work and kept household appliances in good working order for decades beyond their expected lifetimes. After retiring from Corning Glass in 1994, Miles stayed on as a part-time consultant while increasing his volunteer hours with such local organizations as Corning Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity, and the annual CROP walk for world hunger. He loved to read about philosophy, astronomy, politics, and history, and he co-organized a study series on Science and Religion for First Church in Corning. Miles and Bonnie spent their later retirement years in Charlottesville, Virginia, where they continued to support many community causes.

Miles's children remember him as a patient teacher who made sure that they applied logical reasoning to any problem, as a quiet observer who always had something meaningful - or humorous - to say when he spoke, and as an empathetic listener whose kindness to them and toward others set a profound example. In his later years, Miles cared lovingly for Bonnie and faced every health challenge with scientific precision, determination, and good humor.

A family memorial will be held on April 6, 2024 in Findlay, Ohio. In lieu of flowers, donations in Miles's name may be made to the Environmental Defense Fund (https://www.edf.org/), Partners in Health (https://www.pih.org/), or any local public radio or television station.