A fond farewell: Lesley Vance remembered as servant and leader

State Rep. Lesley Vance was remembered as a servant -- and a leader -- Friday as mourners filled the spacious sanctuary of Summerville Baptist Church in Phenix City for his funeral.

Just after the choir sang "Peace in the Valley," the Rev. Grant Parker began a stirring eulogy of his longtime friend, who spent more than 50 years in east Alabama politics and even longer than in the local funeral home business.

"Political office is what he held, but he was a public servant," Parker said. "A business is what he owned, but a public servant is what he owned into. He had a servant's heart, but he had class. Class is not what you wear on the outside, it's what you are on the inside. I don't know how to define it, but I know it when I see it."

Vance died Tuesday after a lengthy illness. He was 76.

Vance grew up in Pike County, Ala., as one of 13 children in a large farming family. He started to work in the Phenix City funeral home business in 1957 at the age of 18. By the time he was 23, he was elected coroner of Russell County.

In 1975, Vance purchased the funeral home where he has worked for almost two decades. His funeral home business and political career were built on trust, said Lance Brooks, Vance's son-in-law and business partner. Vance had two funeral homes, Vance Memorial Chapel in Phenix City and Vance-Brooks Funeral Home in Columbus.

"He had a filing cabinet full of thank you notes," Brooks said. "Over the years, families trusted us with their most precious possession."

It was at those many funerals where Parker and Vance became close, the preacher said.

"We have done a lot of funerals together since 1983," Parker said. "Early in my career, I was just awful. There were times I knew I had just preached a disaster."

At those moments, Vance would stick out his hand and say, "Good job, pastor."

"He and I both knew he had just told a big, fat lie." Parker said.

Vance's political career stretched back 53 years to when he was elected coroner. He also served on the county commission before being elected to the Alabama Legislature in 1994. He was still in office at the time of his death. His political career was reflected in those who attended the hourlong service Friday morning in north Phenix City.

There were state lawmakers, councilmembers, county commissioners, sheriffs, district attorneys, police officers, deputies, state troopers, college presidents and mayors -- past and present. The pews were even filled with folks he had defeated in political races.

"Why would so many people take time out of their busy schedules to be here today?" Brooks asked.

"Because of him. He was known by many names, Coroner Vance, Commissioner Vance, Rep. Vance, just plain Vance, big Vance. But the name he loved most was 'Papa.'"

Vance's widow, Pat, sat on the front row, surrounded by a large group of family. He is survived by five siblings, three children and four grandchildren.

But as far as Vance climbed in the political field, he never forget his humble beginnings in a family who was so poor, that when they "went to Kentucky Fried Chicken, they licked somebody else's fingers," Parker joked.

"But he never once forgot where he came from," he said. "If you forget where you came from, you don't know where you are going. He knew where he was going."

This story was originally published November 6, 2015 at 10:02 PM with the headline "A fond farewell: Lesley Vance remembered as servant and leader ."