Joyce L. Vance

Joyce Louise (Bryan) Vance passed away August 26, 2021 at her home in Papillion, NE after battling kidney cancer for the past 18 months. She was born October 12, 1942 in Sabetha, KS to Dorothy (Wright) and Walter “Nub” Bryan.

Joyce grew up on the family farm in Centralia, KS and attended Pleasant Hill Number 10 Country School, then Centralia Schools where she graduated in 1960. In April 1962, she married Eldon Fritch. The coupled moved to Omaha and adopted 2 children, Jeff and Joanne. Joyce held various jobs working Manpower, Graybar Electric and also sold Avon. The family lived briefly in Council Bluffs before moving the back to Centralia, KS in 1974.

While living in Centralia, she worked at the Log Cabin Café in Seneca before she purchased the Centralia Café in 1975, the same restaurant that her mother had owned 4 years prior. The cafe became a family affair for Joyce with her mother, sister, niece, husband and children all working most Sundays serving her famous fried chicken and homemade pies. Joyce was active in Congregational Church, singing in the choir and she ran the Centralia Alumni Association for several years. They sold the café in 1984 then purchased the bar in Centralia which they ran for 2 years. The couple later divorced and Joyce moved to Onaga, KS. While working at the sewing factory in Onaga, she met Frank Vance. Joyce and Frank were married July 19, 1992. Joyce and Frank lived outside of Onaga until Frank retired in 2003 when they moved to Omaha, NE to be closer to her 2 children and grandchildren. While living in Omaha, she worked at the Marriott Reservation center for 10 years. Her grandchildren were the most important people in her life, rarely missing a band concert, sporting event, program or an early pick up when school was out early. She was a member of Calvary Christian Church in Bellevue, NE.

She is preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Sharon Johnson.

She is survived by her husband, Frank; her son, Jeff Fritch (Colleen) of Gretna, NE; her daughter, Joanne Fritch of Sherwood, AR; a stepson, Joe Vance of Springfield, MO; 2 grandsons, Nathan Fritch and Jackson Fritch both of Omaha, NE; 4 granddaughters, Maggie Fritch of LaVista, NE, Riley Fritch and Presley Fritch both of Gretna, NE and Miah Vance of Springfield, MO.

A Celebration of her life will be held Wednesday, September 1st at 11:00AM at John A. Gentleman Mortuaries Bellevue Chapel located at 3402 Samson Way in Bellevue, NE 68123.

In lieu of flowers a memorial will be set up at Calvary Christian Church 10100 Cedar Island Road, Bellevue, NE 68123.

If unable to attend her service, you can view it at this website. https://heartstreaming.net/joyce-vance