Belmont, S.C. —
Jim and his twin brother Keith were born July 20, 1945, at Mary Hitchcock Hospital in Hanover, N.H., to Charles & Mildred (Stanton) Vance.
Jim attended school in Thetford until enlisting in the US Army in 1962. Jim was stationed in Germany where he received his GED and acquired mechanical skills.
Jim returned from the Army in 1966. He met and married Marcia Sheldon of Hartford, Vt., June 17, 1967. Jim and Marcia bought a piece of land on route 5 in East Thetford and had 3 daughters. They later divorced.
Jim worked in Woodstock, Vt., with Ed Bailey who became a great friend and taught him the ins and outs of Volkswagen repair. With the help of Ed, Jim built a very well-known business, “Jim’s garage” and specialized in VW repair.
Jim met Lucy Gould and started working for Chase and Avery in Newport, N.H., before opening another small garage for himself.
In early 2000, he and Lucy retired to Belmont, S.C.
Jim had a love for hunting, building and racing stock cars and rebuilding sports cars. He raced many cars at Bear Ridge and Thunder Road.
Jim is survived by his three daughters, Sandra Fucci and Donna Davis of Hartford, and Karen Ward of Milton, Vt.; his fiancée, Lucy Gould of Belmont, her two daughters, Crystal Greene and Amber Gould; a brother, Edwin Vance; sisters, Shirley Picken and Linda Dresser; many nieces and nephews; three granddaughters and three grandsons.
He is predeceased by his parents and three brothers, Sheldon, Gary and twin brother Keith Vance.
Funeral services to be announced at a later date.