JUNE 23, 1934 – APRIL 15, 2024
Ruby Marie Vance, age 89, of Fort Collins, Colorado, went home to glory on April 15, 2024. She passed away peacefully at 5:38pm in Fort Collins.
Ruby was born on June 23, 1934 in her rural home in Hillsboro, Iowa to Clayton and Nellie Marie (Van Winkle) Mills. She was raised on the Quaker Farm south of Salem. Her house burned down when she was four years old. Ruby played basketball before graduating from Salem High School at the age of 16 as the valedictorian of her class and went on to attend William Penn College in Oskaloosa, Iowa on a basketball scholarship. It was there that she met her first husband, Harry Penland and had 3 children. After they divorced, she married Terry Vance of Carthage, Illinois who adopted the 3 children and raised and loved them as his own to this day. Ruby kept busy helping on the farm and would bring lunch out to the hired hands in the field. She would even drive the tractors and big trucks when needed. She played on a softball league, was a member of the Eastern Star and was an avid square dancer. Ruby was very musical and played guitar and piano by ear. For several years, Ruby, along with her friend Betty Hellyer, would perform on their guitars, singing and harmonizing beautifully.
Ruby, Terry and their children moved back to Salem to make a life of farming there. She took a job as the school secretary at Salem Elementary, was on a bowling league, and later worked at Metro-Mail, all while canning the bounty of their huge garden and large orchard to help feed the family. She was also active at Salem Friends Church.
In January of 1972, Ruby moved with her 5 children to Fort Collins, Colorado. There she worked as a shipping clerk at Woodward Governor and later was a security guard at Teledyne Water Pic. She also taught CPR for a number of years. After she retired, she kept busy cleaning houses with her daughter, Sherry.
Ruby, not forgetting her farm girl roots, took up canning again and got much enjoyment “putting up the harvest.” She was very domestic and enjoyed decorating and making her house a home no matter where she lived and loved to work in her flower beds. She was a hard worker no matter the task and also enjoyed painting, reading, telling jokes and riddles, dressing sharp and going out to coffee with her friends and adored her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was also an avid sports fan of the Colorado Rockies and Denver Nuggets, especially her favorite player who was Jokic.
Left to share Ruby’s memory are her brother, Keith Mills, sister-in-law Ramona Mills and her 5 children: son, Terry C. Vance of Canyon City, Colorado, daughters: Sherry (Myron) Schnabel of Fort Collins, Colorado, Debbie (Glen) Tilley of Johnstown, Colorado, Lori (Jon) Andermann of Lockridge, Iowa and Colleen (Dave) Clark of LaPorte, Colorado; along with her 12 grandchildren: Brandon (Jenell) Schnabel, Wendy Clark, Tera (Mark) Breeden, Josh (LeAnn) Clark, Casey Clark (Gavin), Nicole (Ken) Velarde, Nathan (Danyelle) Tilley, Kyle (Brittany) Tilley, Kelly (Sami) Andermann, Jesse (Megan) Andermann, Randy (Carissa) Andermann, and Tracy Andermann; and her 17 great-grandchildren: Taylor & Izzy Clark, Deklyn Cain, Grace, Annabelle, & Moriah Velarde, Giselle, Nathan Jr, & Elias Tilley, Bentley, Paisley, Emerson, & Eden Tilley, Austin Breeden, Vance Andermann, Fitzgerald Andermann, Fletcher Andermann, and 2 more on the way!! She will also be missed by many nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.
Ruby was preceded in death by her brothers, Harold (Dorothy) Mills, Lyle Mills, Guy (Winona) Mills, and sister-in-law Mary Mills, granddaughter Lisa Vance, and her beloved dog Rocky.
Family and friends will gather to honor and remember Ruby on Monday, April 22nd, 2024 at Resthaven Funeral Home & Memory Gardens in Fort Collins. Those that wish to see Ruby and say their final goodbyes may do so beginning at 11:00am. Her Funeral Service will begin at 12:00pm and she will be laid to eternal rest immediately after. A Memorial Gathering and a time of fellowship, laughter, and remembrance will follow.
Should you wish to send flowers for Ruby, her family recommends using Rowes Flowers in Loveland or calling the funeral home for assistance. Treasured memories of Ruby and words of condolence for her family are welcome at www.resthavencolorado.com .
