Rosa Fay Vance of Portia, died March 14, 2024 in Lawrence Hall following a brief illness. Born November 15, 1930, in Saddle, Arkansas to Ernest Troy and Lucy Isabelle French. She married Cleburne Eldridge Vance on May 12, 1948. Fay grew up working in the cotton fields and went on to work at several jobs, including the garment factory in Walnut Ridge, the cotton gin office in Portia, the Portia Post Office, and Portia City Hall where she served many years as Recorder Treasurer for the city, but she is most remembered as an accomplished seamstress who ran Fay's Fabrics and Sewing in Portia. An avid reader, she also enjoyed crossword puzzles, word games, knitting, crocheting, and quilting. Most of all, she enjoyed her family who continued coming to Grandma's for Sunday dinner long after she was able to prepare it. She was a member of the Church of Christ.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, son James Cleburne, daughter Beth Vance Ferber, brothers infant Carl Dean French, William Henry French, and Ernest Troy French, and sister Edna French Clark.

She is survived by her sister Dorothy Huskey (Paul) of Strawberry, daughters Pat Crittenden of Sherwood, Susan Fitzgerald of Little Rock, Hayley Ellington (Chandler) of Jonesboro, and Nicole Turner (Chad) of McKinney, Texas, sons Craig Vance of Ravenden, Terry Vance (Mike) of Little Rock, grandchildren Sara Crittenden Dickson (Jason) of North Little Rock, Chris Fitzgerald (Dana) of Los Angeles, Matthew Crittenden (Lauren) of San Mateo, California, Jeremy Fitzgerald (Meghan) of Los Angeles, Courtney Vance of Pocahontas, Reuben Vance (Tiffany) of Brookland, Quinn Hill of Jonesboro, and fifteen great grandchildren.

Visitation will be Tuesday, March 19, 2024, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Cox Funeral Home in Walnut Ridge with funeral services immediately at 1 p.m. Robert Davis and Jimmy Dunlap will officiate.  Interment will follow in Lawrence Memorial Park in Walnut Ridge under the direction of Cox Funeral Home in Walnut Ridge.

Honored to serve as pallbearers are Chris Fitzgerald, Matt Crittenden, Jeremy Fitzgerald, Reuben Vance, Quinn Hill, Jess Orr, Chad Turner, Chandler Ellington, and Jason Dickson.

Great-grandsons will serve as honorary pallbearers.

The family expresses their heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Paul Vellozo and to the caring staff of Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Lawrence Hall, and Legacy Hospice.