Helen Vance Buchanan

December 22, 1919

December 7, 2009

Helen Vance Buchanan went to her heavenly home on December 7, 2009, at the home of her daughter, Mary Ann Buchanan at Vero Beach, Florida.

Born on December 22, 1919, to the late Richard and Samantha Vance of Iaeger, West Virginia, she made her home in Gilbert until moving to Florida in 1964.

In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her loving husband of 67 years, Harold Buchanan; a special grandson, Bradley Iaeger Browning; four brothers:  baby John, Elmer, Ernest, and Raymond Vance; five sisters:  Baby Cleo Vance, Stella Stafford, Sarah Blanche Vance, Birchie McDermott, and Hazel Turner. 

Helen was the last surviving charter member of the First Baptist Church in Gilbert.  She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Vero Beach, devoting her life to working with the children in the Sunday School Department until she began loosing her eyesight in her later years.  She had been an employee of the U.S. Postal Service in Gilbert and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Lake Worth, FL. 

She is survived by her son Donald (Gayle) Buchanan of Berea KY; her two daughters: Anita (Tome) Lovelace of Clifton VA and Mary Ann Buchanan of Vero Beach FL; her wonderful grandchildren:  Rosemary (Kevin) Briggs of Lexington KY, Scott (Courtney) Buchanan of Berea KY, and Beth (Michael) Baron of Virginia; her precious great grandchildren: Conner and Hunter Buchanan, Brian Briggs, and Victoria Baron; her sister, Thelma Allen of Adrian Michigan; her brother, Eugene Vance of Princeton WV; and a host of nieces and nephews who loved “Aunt Helen” as she did them. Helen saw the world in Technicolor and everyone that knew her will remember her kindness and her sweet voice, especially the children.

A funeral service was held on December 12, 2009 at Strunk Funeral Home in Vero Beach, FL.  Interment was at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens at Ft. Pierce, FL.

She was carried to her final resting place by:  Scott Buchanan, Richard Kildow, Marvin Carter, Jorge Aranda, David Heath, and David Brooker.