BETTY LOU VANCE, 81, died Wednesday, May 4, 2011 at the Greeley Hospice Unit at the North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley. Betty was born September 15, 1929 in Brush, CO. She was the daughter of John & Suzanne (Engelman) Kress. Betty lived with her parents, sister, and three brothers in Snyder, CO where her father farmed. She started the first grade in Snyder. In 1936 her family moved to Adams City, CO and they lived there until they moved to Fort Morgan in 1939 where she continued her education. They moved to Wiggins in 1945 and then she went to school in Wiggins. She also helped her mother at Ann's Café until she married. Betty married Billy M. Vance on September 24, 1948. They lived on a farm south of Wiggins until they moved in 1959 to their current address in Wiggins. Betty worked for the Wiggins Frozen Food Locker until the Holdens sold the business and then she worked for her sister Katherine and her husband, Walter Gettman, at the American Fertilizer facility in Fort Morgan. She also worked for the Wiggins Hardware and Implement Co., Inc. until 1978. In 1978 she became the grandmother of all grandmothers and began babysitting each new grandchild as they were each born. She loved her family and spent many hours watching her three sons and then each grandchild play ball, whether it be football, basketball, or baseball. She was a wonderful cook and prepared many meals of which each had a favorite. She loved her crafts which consisted of crocheting, sewing, and painting wooden lawn ornaments. She looked forward to tending to her garden and seemed to have the greenest thumb in town. Mrs. Vance was a member of Wiggins Community Church. Betty is survived by her son, Richard and his wife, Diane; and grandsons, Tim, Kyle, and Austin; grandson, Clinton Vance and his wife, Courtney; and great grandson, Cooper; granddaughter, Shauna Vance and great grandson, Oliver; daughter-in-law, Sandy Vance and grandson, John and great grandson, Ryan; granddaughter, Tara and great grandchildren, Tyler and Alexa. She was preceded in death by her husband, Billy M. Vance, her parents; her sister, Katherine Gettman; three brothers, Bill, Edward, and John Kress; and two sons, Billy M. Vance, Jr. and James K. Vance. Visitation will be Monday, May 9th from 4 – 7 PM at the Heer & Dahl Mortuary in Fort Morgan. Funeral services will be Tuesday, May 10th at 10:30 AM at Wiggins Community Church. Interment will follow in Memory Gardens in Fort Morgan. Friends may make memorial contributions to Wiggins Community Church or to Hospice & Palliative Care of Northern Colorado, 2726 West 11th Street Road, Greeley, CO 80634.