Mary Ellen Vance, 83, Carl Junction, Mo., and a former Labette County resident, died at 12:22 p.m., Monday January 1, 2024, at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin, Mo.
Born on June 26, 1940, at rural Nevada, Missouri Mary was the daughter of Orville and Ellen (Brock) Eaton. The family moved to Oswego where Mary Ellen grew up and attended schools. She graduated from Oswego High School in 1958.
Mary Ellen and Don Vance were united in marriage June 29, 1958, at Oswego. He survives of the home.
Mary Ellen and Don lived in various places as he served as a Pastor for various churches. She worked as a hairdresser operating her own shop and in medical records as a transcriptionist for Labette health and the Parsons Clinic.
Mary Ellen played the organ and piano at church, funerals, and weddings. She was an accomplished seamstress making her own wedding dress and her sisters’. Additionally, she excelled at quilting and made many quilts for her family and donated them to Souls Harbor. She enjoyed watching her sons’ and grandchildren’s sporting events and traveling. Mary Ellen had a kind heart and was always willing to lend a helping hand to someone in need.
She was preceded in death by her granddaughter; Nicole Vance; her great-granddaughters, Chloe Wilson, Makenna Wilson, and Paisley Wilson; her brothers, James Eaton, and Don Eaton; and her brother-in-law, Glenn Walker.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by her four children, Rodney Vance, and his wife, Shannon of Spring, Texas; Brian Vance of Carl Junction, Mo.; Tim Vance and his wife, Gina of Tulsa, Okla. and Clint Vance, and his wife, Trinette of Parsons; her grandchildren, Emilee Shields, and her husband, Kyle of Olathe; Sloan Wilson of Parsons; Mason Vance of Broken Arrow, Okla.; Zach Vance of Pittsburg, and Josie Vance of Wellsville, Alicia Solla, Mark Solla, and Andrew Solla of Tulsa, Okla.; Tryston Ridgeway of Parsons; Leyton Jeter of Montgomery, Texas, and Hailey Jeter of Conroe, Texas; her greatgrandson, Cohen Wilson of Parsons; her sisters, Phyllis Walker, and her companion, John Allen, Joyce Carson, and her husband, Chris all of Parsons; and several nieces and nephews also survive.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m., Monday, January 8 at the Carson-Wall Funeral Home with Pastor Tony McCord officiating. Burial followed in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery near Dennis. Memorials are suggested to the Oswego Library, and these may be left at or mailed to the funeral home 112 N. 26th St., P.O. Box 942, Parsons, KS 67357. Online condolences may be left at www.wallfuneralservices. com.obit