Henry Shelden Vance Jr.

Henry Shelden Vance, Jr., 77, of Lexington, KY, died on March 14, 2020. He was born in Lexington on November 17, 1942 to the late Henry S. Vance and Alice Caskey Lang Vance. He was the grandson of the late Helen Shelden Vance and Charles A. Vance, MD, and Leannah Caskey Lang, William E. Lang and Rebecca Sistrunk Lang.

He is survived by two wonderful daughters, Elizabeth Vance (Steve) Shipley and Alice Vance (Lucian) Dearborn, whom he loved with all his heart and soul; his grandchildren, Van “Ranse” R. (Sophie) Jenkins IV, Miranda W. Jenkins, John Duncan Jenkins, Taylor A. Dearborn, R. Lucian Dearborn, and Cecilia Jane Dearborn; a step-granddaughter Samantha S. (Brian) Leonard; a step-grandson Jason S. (Camille) Deering; and great-grandchildren, Henry O’Leary Jenkins; Jackson D. Leonard; Alexandria and Dexter Deering.

He is also survived by cousins, Kathrine Vance (Lisle) Dalton of Lexington, Archibald “Tuck” W. Hamilton V of Georgetown, George G. Hamilton of Winchester, Leannah H. (Bruce) Leslie of Ashland, William L. (Denni) Hamilton of Georgetown, and numerous other cousins. And, Henry appreciated his numerous friends who encouraged and supported him, especially his most particular and very closest friend of many years William L. Turnbull.

In addition, we would like to acknowledge and thank those who supported him: Tony Dehner, Bekki Turnbull, Kathy and Lisle Dalton, Lucian Dearborn, Steve Shipley, Betty and Henry Nickels, and Liddy Johnson.

He was educated at Bryan Station High School, Westminster College of Fulton, MO, where he was a member of Kappa Alpha Order, Transylvania Univ., and the Univ. of Kentucky.

He was a former insurance agent with Vance Ins. Agency and Tom Porter Ins. Agency. He served Gov. Julian Carroll as his Chief Administrative Officer and Executive Assistant. He was House of Representative Speaker Bobby H. Richardson’s Chief of Staff. Henry always considered working with his very good friends, Julian and Bobby, to have been the most rewarding and fulfilling time in his career. He was a lifelong, passionate KY Democrat or as he was fond of stating he was a “yellow dog” Democrat. He was a regional coordinator for Tobacco Quota Guaranty during the quota buyout. Following that, he was property manager for T-G Enterprises, Inc. Also, he was president of LexCo Enterprises, Inc. Henry was a co-founder, with Attorney General Robert Matthews and his very close friend Sen Lacey Smith, of the KY Youth Development Foundation, and for many years a member of the board of directors.

He was a Life Member of the Keeneland Club, a member of the KY Civil War Round Table, a member of Kentucky Historical Society, a member of the Blue Grass Trust, a member of the UK Alumni Assoc., a former member of the Lexington Polo Club, and a former member of the Frankfort Country Club.

Henry was a life-long member of the Church of the Good Shepherd and also attended Christ Church Cathedral.

All services private. The visitation that was planned for Wednesday evening at Milward-Broadway will no longer occur.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be given to Good Shepherd or Christ Church Cathedral.