William Wallace Vance

William Wallace Vance, Sr. was born in Hickory Ridge, Arkansas on April 27, 1928 and passed away at CrossRidge Community Hospital on Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 9:10 p.m. at the age of 95 years. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lorine Reynolds Vance; his parents, William Tilford Vance and Celia Lumley White; and great-grandsons, Eric Davis and Dexter Davis. He was also preceded in death by the following siblings: Alvin White, Robert White, Joy White, Perry Hickman, Raymond Hickman, Clifford Hickman, Drophlet Vance, Earlene Taylor, Yvonne Hall, Delores Caubble, Lucille Williams, and Cozette Patton.

Wallace Vance is survived by four children: daughter, Betty Wilson and son-in-law, Doyle, daughter, Judy Eppes and son-in-law, Gary Eppes, son, Wally Vance and daughter-in-law, Glenda, and son, Steve Vance. He was blessed with 10 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great-grandchildren.

Papaw was a lifelong learner who began as a “MacGyver” (if any of you remember the 80s TV show) when he was just a boy as he became interested in mechanics and the operation of machinery. Growing up during the Great Depression, he attended elementary school long enough to learn to read and compute basic math. Years later, he took and passed his GED test with a score high enough to be offered a scholarship. He truly was a self-taught man.

As a young boy, he learned to work on tractors on his father’s farm. Other farmers began to have him work on their tractors as well. He also worked in Edwin Head’s radio shop in Wynne where he began to have an interest in electronics. He installed the first radios in the Wynne police cars and helped raise the radio tower on top of the old Cross County Courthouse.

Later, his keen ability to “understand how things work” was even more evident as he attended electronics and electrical schools and night school while living in Illinois. He graduated from the United Electronics Lab in Louisville, Kentucky, where he learned to repair tube type televisions. Years later, he applied for a job at Halstead and became a troubleshooter in the maintenance department. He always had a deep understanding of mechanics and electronics.

An avid reader, Papaw would read technical books on every topic that he was interested in learning. One of Papaw’s favorite books was the Bible. He read and studied scripture most of his life.

In 1971, he built a shop behind his house and began his business, West Wynne Service Center. As an appliance repair business, he and Wally provided residential repair and also contracted with Sears and Montgomery Ward to perform warranty repairs.

In 1980, the present shop was built and the name was changed to Vance Appliance Repair. Papaw retired in the mid-90’s but Wally and Steve would continue the service work. Papaw and Grandma had many adventures in their travels, camping and fishing trips through the years after retirement.

Wallace Vance was well known and respected throughout the county for his skills in repair work, electrical work, and mechanics, skills that he either passed down to or shared with children and grandchildren. He was also known for standing behind the work that he did for people and the fairness in what he charged people to do the service work.

He was an example of a skilled tradesman that used the intelligence and skills God gave him to the best of his ability to learn as much as he could and with the help of his loving wife, Lorine, of 75 years to take care of his family.

He will be missed by his family and the many people in Wynne and Cross County who were fortunate enough to know him.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, in the Thompson-Wilson Funeral Home Chapel in Wynne with Bro. Jared Schindler officiating. Interment will follow in Lewis Cemetery near Hickory Ridge.

Friends may visit at the funeral home from 1:00 p.m. to service time.

Those honored to serve as pallbearers are Wally Vance, Steve Vance, Johnny Wilson, Vance Wilson, Mickey Eppes, Justin Eppes, Dalton Eppes, Trae Vance, Chad Vance, Allen Vance, Jared Vance, Jake Vance, and Clint Ligon.

Memorials may be made to Lewis Cemetery, P.O. Box 245, Hickory Ridge, AR 72347.

Arrangements by Thompson-Wilson Funeral Home of Wynne.