Walter Edward Vance

Walter Edward Vance was born to Walter Guy Vance and Juanita Smith Vance on November 11,1946 in Pawnee, Oklahoma. He attended school in Skedee, Oklahoma and graduated from Pawnee High School in 1965. After high school, Walter trained for electronics at CIT and worked at General Dynamics in Ft. Worth, Texas. He was drafted into the army in 1967 and trained at Ft. Bliss, Texas. He completed Advance Infantry training in Fort Gibson, Georgia, and Dog Handler training at Fort Benning, Georgia with Duty Station 50th IPSD (Infantry Platoon Scout Dog). He served in Vietnam with his beloved scout dog Jester. After reenlisting in 1973 Walter served two tours in Germany and one tour in Korea, and he served the rest of his military career in Ft. Sill retiring from the military in 1992. While stationed in Germany, Walter enjoyed participating in Volksmarches and exploring Europe. From his teens and every year he was able, Walter enjoyed helping with wheat harvest for the Neuendorf family in the Enid and Garber area.
In the mid seventies Walter married JoAnn and adopted her four sons, Jodie, Ronnie, John and Ray. He later married Johnnie and welcomed her three daughters into the family.
In December 1994, Walter married Marie Lady, and embraced her two sons and daughter, Bobby, Jenifer, and Russell. Walter loved and cared for all of his kids, grandkids and great grandkids.
Walter and Marie lived in the Pawnee area and they both loved to fish. They also both drove school buses for Pawnee Public Schools for many years. Walter enjoyed raising cattle, chickens, rabbits and anything else he had a pen big enough for. Walter also loved to garden and had a wealth of knowledge about planting, soil temperatures, moon phases and plant varieties. He and Marie were superintendents of the Horticulture Department at the Pawnee County Free Fair for many years.
In further service to his community, Walter served as reserve deputy for the Pawnee County Sheriff's Office, a position that he loved and honored.
Preceded in death by his wife Marie, parents Walter and Juanita, brother Cody Keith, and son Ronnie Mac, he is survived by children, grandchildren and great grandchildren; and by siblings Louise Iron, Dale Vance, Joe Vance, Allen Vance, Carla Edwards, and Debbie Robinson.