Barbara Vance, 89, of Laguna Woods, Calif., died May 25, 2001 after a brief illness. Mrs. Vance was a longtime Church of God member who was preceded in death by her husband, John, in 1964 when the Vances lived in Illinois. Mr. Vance was a policeman in Chicago.

Mrs. Vance is survived by sons John C. Vance II, of Corman, Mont., David A. Vance of Compton, Ill., and Gary Vance of Tulsa, Okla.; sisters Margaret Aylett and Joyce Wilson of Toronto, Ont.; a brother, Syd Smith, of Toronto; and a sister-in-law, Jean Hightower of La Canada, Calif. She is survived by eight grandchildren and by daughters-in-law Aimee Wallace, Connie Evans and Susan Vance. Grandchildren Gary Vance II, Susan C. Vance, John C. Vance III and Diane A. Vance had traveled to Laguna Woods to be with their grandmother during her final hours but did not arrive before her demise early on Friday morning, May 25.

"I was privileged to know and belong to an excellent human being," said her son Gary. "I was greatly blessed to have been loved and trusted by Barbara Vance. If you had known her, you would know exactly what I mean."