Mattie Louise Barbee Vance, R.N. (retired). Born May 20, 1915, in Rogersville. Her life’s journey ended April 18, 2014 at 98 years and 11 months.
The oldest of four siblings, she was raised and worked as a sharecropper’s daughter in the cotton fields of Rogersville. The only life she knew from the age of five forward was working in the fields from daylight until dusk. At the age of 17, she was sent to Cullman, and finished the 12th grade while living with her aunt, grandmother and cousins.
After graduating high school in Cullman, she enrolled into the Grady Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in Atlanta, Georgia. She graduated as a registered nurse in 1937, and was immediately commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps. She was assigned to work in the Army Hospital at Fort McPherson in Atlanta. It was while working at Fort McPherson that she met and married James W. Vance, a sergeant in the U.S. Army. Because James was a lower military rank, Louise was forced to resign her commission and leave the Army. They were married December 31st, 1937, and she became a military wife.
From 1941 to 1944, they had three children, James in 1941, Celia in 1942 and Virginia in 1944. Between 1937 and 1954, they were transferred nearly every year, living in eight states, which included Anchorage, Alaska, and a year at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. In Anchorage, they saw the wonder of the Northern Lights many times, while living in a true log cabin. While living at West Point, they watched from mere feet away, the filming of the movie, The Long Grey Line, starring Tyrone Power and Maureen O’Hara. Their last tour was Munich, Germany. There, they saw first hand the destruction that had come to Germany from the Allies during World War II. They observed the amazing resilience and resourcefulness of the German people, literally picking up each brick from destroyed buildings, cleaning them off, and rebuilding their nation. They also toured Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest and mountain home in Berchtesgaden, Austria, where much of the Nazi destruction of Europe was planned. The family also visited most European countries and major European cities before retiring from the military and settling in Columbus, Ohio, in 1957.
In 1964, she returned to full-time nursing at Mt. Carmel Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. After three years at Mt. Carmel, Louise moved for her last time to Decatur in 1967. There she bought her home and continued her full-time nursing career at Decatur General Hospital. After several years at Decatur General, she was approached by Mr. Guyer, the hospital administrator, with an idea. Recognizing firsthand her skill and expertise, and knowing she had extensive education and experience in Advanced Cardiac Care, he asked her if she would plan, staff and execute the first Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at Decatur General. Thus began the new and much needed specialty unit, focusing on cardiac care. As a result, it was now possible to treat cardiac patients at Decatur General without spending valuable time transporting them to Huntsville for treatment, which in turn saved countless lives by getting a patient to treatment within the famous “Golden Hour.” The “Golden Hour” refers to the idea that a critically ill patient who gets qualified medical care within the first hour stands a far greater chance of survival. After overseeing the Cardiac ICU for a few years, she was promoted to Nursing Supervisor for Decatur General. As the 3 to 11 p.m. evening instructor, she chose to work every weekend so that the hospital would have consistent experienced monitoring. In June 1985, at the age of 70, she retired with a nearly perfect attendance record.
Besides being a wife, mother and career nurse, she lived a remarkably creative and passion-filled life. She never had idle hands. From the time she awakened each morning, until she closed her eyes at night, she kept busy. Even as a five year old, she took an intense interest in different flowers and plants, their similarities and differences, and what made them grow and do the specific things they did. This passion continued until the last few months of her life. She was well known in Decatur for having cultivated and grown not only common varieties, but more specifically, many exotic plant and flower species. Many of those exotics were not native to the area, nor had been seen by most who encountered them at her home. Through the years, she would have occasional plant sales, which were highly attended, and almost always invariably turned into impromptu gardening classes. In time, she had created a beautifully landscaped virtual “Garden of Eden” in her backyard, which, thorugh word-of-mouth, became Decatur’s own version of “The Secret Garden.” She was also instrumental in helping her daughter, Virginia, who lives just down the street, plan and develop her own Secret Garden. It was such a beautiful success, and soon was no longer so “Secret,” that The Decatur Daily featured a full page story about her garden in 2002.
She was self taught in many aspects of creativeness. In the 1930’s, she began sewing and doing needlework, both of which were extraordinary. This was another passion that stayed with her throughout her life. She became so accomplished, she made most of the clothing for her children, all without patterns, which others swore were store bought pieces. She made quilts, spreads, wool braided rugs, curtains, and many other things. She even made beautiful undergarments from World War II surplus silk parachutes. The scene in Gone With the Wind where Scarlett O’Hara makes a dress from her drapes give one a small sense of the skill and style Louise had when it came to sewing and creating. By the 1940s, she added upholstering furniture and make slipcovers to her repertoir.
In her late 20’s, she began doing her own creative landscaping. She collected old bricks, flagstone and weathered wood, such as railroad ties, in order to create her projects. She was repurposing materials before repurposing was either a “buzz” word or a concept. She could and did build a patio, porch, walkway or peaceful retreat in many of the places she lived during her lifetime. Many of those projects still stand today. When it came to small carpentry jobs that were needed for her home or required for a project, she took the time to learn the correct professional way, either by asking a master carpenter, or using knowledge she gained by watching skilled carpenters. Her work could and did pass any critique, inspection or code. Everything she did, she seemed to to effortlessly. Be it plumbing, roofing, electrical or painting, she could either do it, or at the very least, knew how it should be done. Whenever possible, she would watch or assist in order to further her own knowledge and capability, allowing her to know how to do a project correctly.
In 1959, she alone took on the task of planning and drawing to scale the floorplan of their 2,600 square foot home that she and her husband had built in Columbus, Ohio. That house still stands today.
Louise also had a passion for antiques and all things old. She loved to find old furniture and refinish it. She completed hundres of pieces in her lifetime. Throughout her life, she practiced and taught the importance of recycling, repurposing and respecting our environment. During her watch, nothing was ever wasted or went without being repurposed at least several times. She was truly far ahead of her time and a pioneer in recycling, repurposing and many of todays other environmental and creative “buzz” words. She was also an early believer in “scratch” out of “scraps.” Everyone who knew her were and still are impacted by those ideas and ideals. While she recognized the need for progress and new ideas, she could not tolerate the negative results and byproducts which, as a result, impact our earth.
In her lifetime, she saw many changes, progressive and regressive. From living in an area as a child where only one family or store within a few miles even had a phone, and that it could only call within the U.S., a task which took several minutes; to the fact that anyone walking around today can have a phone (not to mention it is also a computer) in their pocket, and can call anywhere in the world in just a second. From being born at the start of the War To End All Wars (WWI), and being witness to Pearl Harbor, WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the first Gulf War, the 9/11 attacks, the second Gulf War, and now the War on Terror. She grew up with the story of the “Man in the Moon,” and later watched man walk on the moon, and man living in space, all made possible in the next town over from Decatur, in Huntsville. She has truly been a witness to history-nearly a century of it.
Two years ago, she suddenly became ill enough that she needed to be cared for at all times. She always made it clear that she wanted to remain in her own home if at all possible. Her request was fulfilled and made possible by her youngest daughter, Virginia, also a nurse, who embraced and fulfilled that request with a deep love. Until her passing, the blessings of three other wonderful caregivers, full of love and compassion, helped Virginia make that possible. Thank you Bettie Patterson, Barbara Jaret and Bonnie Barnett for helping make that possible.
Louise Vance was loved by family and friends alike, and she in turn expressed her love by all that she did and taught to those around her. Those whose path was fortunate enought to cross hers, are no doubt better for having done so.
She will be missed, but she has left us her legacy, and for that we rejoice.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Wilburn and Kathryn Petty Barbee; and three sisters, Rose, Sarah and Doris.
Survivors include one son, James Vance Jr.; two daughters, Celia Louise McIntyre and Virginia McGhee; one brother, WP “Boy” Barbee; and four grandchildren, William Robinson, David Robinson, Vanessa Louise Collins and Janifer Hensley.
Funeral services will be Wednesday, April 23, 2014, at 2 p.m. at Ridout’s Brown-Service Funeral Home with Brother Chandler officiating. Burial will be in Roselawn Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to National Osteoporosis Foundation, 1150 17th Street NW, Suite 850, Washington, DC 20036.
