Ernest E. Vance, 76, of Imperial died Sept. 14, 2016, in Imperial. Mr. Vance retired as a member of Painters Union 1199 and also was a barber and real estate agent. A 1959 graduate of Fox High School, he enjoyed collecting antiques, camping and caving. Born Aug. 14, 1940, in Washington County, he was the son of the late Joseph E. and Lucy L. (Gibson) Vance.
He is survived by his wife: Garnett (Benck) Vance; his stepmother: Lula Mae Vance of Arnold; a son: Clayton (Nicole) Vance of Carrollton, Ill.; three daughters: Lydia Reiter of Springfield, Tracy (Christopher) Smith of Bloomsdale and Christine (Robert) Rubinstein of Springfield; 14 grandchildren: Candice, Aaron, Victoria, Ashley and Ronald Reiter, Everett (Kristi) and Nicholas Litton, Justin Potter, Andrew (Gary) Gimlin, Samantha, Jaclyn and Maxwell Rubinstein and Cheyenne and Sierra Vance; three great-grandchildren: Annslee Litton, Athena Gimlin and Brennon Rubinstein; and three siblings: Barbara Montine of Gillespie, Ill., Terry Vance and Jerry Vance.
He was preceded in death by a great-grandchild: Gabriel Gimlin; a brother: Ralph Skaggs Jr.; and two sisters: Dianna Stark and Carol Candler.
Funeral services will be held at 9:30 a.m., Monday, Sept. 19, at Heiligtag-Lang-Fendler Funeral Home, 1081 Jeffco Blvd., in Arnold. Burial will be in Shirley Union Church Cemetery in Walton Township. Arrangements are under the direction of Heiligtag-Lang-Fendler Funeral Home.