Addie F. Vance | Eastern North Carolina Now

Born: March 27, 1930, Died: May 25, 2013

    Addie Flowers Vance, 83, died May 25, 2013 at her home in Washington, N.C.

    She was born in Darlington, S.C. on March 27, 1930, one of seven children of Edward Ernest Flowers and Juanita Odom Flowers. The family moved to Charlotte, N.C. when she was a child. At age 14, she contracted polio, leaving her to face the rest of her life with a brace on one leg and dependent on crutches and wheelchairs, but she steadfastly refused to let a disability be a handicap to a long and wonderful life.

    Although petite in stature, she showed heart, strength, courage, kindness and common sense that inspired all who knew her.

    She graduated from Thomasboro High School in Charlotte and on Aug. 22, 1954, she married the love of her life, Merton Brice Vance.

    While raising two children, she taught Sunday School at Hopewell Presbyterian Church in Huntersville, N.C, where she was a longtime member. She was noted for her cooking, her quilting and her ability to spoil grandchildren.

    In addition to her own children, she was a steady source of inspiration for nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

    As her children grew older and went off to college, she returned to a longtime interest in bookkeeping, working as a tax advisor for H&R Block and later starting her own tax consulting business, which she ran for 12 years.

    After her husband's retirement from BellSouth, they journeyed often in their travel trailer, crossing thousands of miles of the United States and making a couple of forays into Canada, often accompanied by friends they met in their camping travels.

    In their later years, they built a new home in Washington, N.C., where they could be closer to children and grandchildren.

    Over the years, she also won battles against breast cancer and heart bypass surgery. But in her final years, she battled dementia as the insidious disease slowly took away her mind, memory and life.

    Her memories live on in all who knew her and loved her.

    She is survived by Merton, her husband of 58 years; a son, Merton Brice Vance Jr. and wife Tricia of Wilmington, N.C.; a daughter, Belinda Vance Cowell and husband David of Washington, N.C.; and three grandchildren, Sara Elizabeth Cowell and Ryan Vance Cowell of Washington N.C. and Rebecca Harte Vance of Wilmington.

    She also is survived by sisters Betty Flowers Starnes and husband Clyde of Charlotte, Barbara Flowers Tolen of Charlotte, whose husband, Joe, is deceased; brothers Ed Flowers and wife Jackie, of Portland, Ore., Bert Flowers and wife Jacque of Florence, S.C., and William Flowers and Judy of Charlotte. She was predeceased by another brother, Liston Flowers.

    The funeral will be at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28, 2013 at Hopewell Presbyterian Church in Huntersville, N.C., with the Rev. Allen Purtill and the Rev. J. E. Wayland, Jr. presiding.

    Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

    The family will receive friends at the church fellowship hall from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. prior to the service.

    In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Hopewell Presbyterian Church, 10500 Beatties Ford Road, Huntersville, N.C. 28078-9245 or to First Presbyterian Church, 211 W. 2nd Street, Washington, N.C. 27889.

    Condolences may be sent to the Vance family by visiting www.paulfuneralhome.com

    Paul Funeral Home & Crematory of Washington is honored to serve the Vance family.