Vance George Enge
July 5, 1959 – February 5, 2023
Vance passed away peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by people who loved and cared for him. He was pre-deceased by Shirley (mother) and Ray (father), Carl (brother) and Becky Ann (niece). They are now together catching up, telling crazy stories about their time together, enjoying all the time they went camping, hunting, fishing/ice fishing, quadding and sledding…all pain free.
Vance was born in Dryden, Ontario to Shirley (mother) and Ray (father) Enge. He was the second son and third born of six siblings. The Family grew up in Wabigoon, where Vance went to elementary school and volunteered at the Fire Department. You would always catch Vance with friends, especially the Obie’s…Daryl, Catheryn (Rogers), Brenda (Hardy), Greg, Vernon and Martha just up the road.
He eventually moved out to Alberta where he worked in the forestry industry as a Log Grader and Scaler. Vance really loved his time in nature and excelled at his job! Unfortunately, it was this job that nearly took his life in late 1979 when he and his work partner at the time were hit head on by a logging truck, on a logging road near Hinton Alberta, that later caused Vance to live the rest of his life in and out of surgery’s.
Even though, Vance lived a life full of pain he never would burden you with his troubles, instead he would invite you in, make you something to eat, and try to take your pain away! You would always catch Vance, out quadding, fishing or hunting with his family and friends, getting supper ready for anyone who stopped by, he would give the shirt off his back to make sure you were taking care of first, he got that from his mother who did that exact same thing!
He was also quite the jokester, and always had a great story to tell…you would hear his laugh through any gathering he was at. He would be the first one to make a fool of himself, just so you didn’t feel alone… Vance would always make it so that you didn’t feel like you were different in any way. He did have a way about him though, that you knew he wanted his things to be, and he did his best, to try and make it so!
Vance was a kind and very neighbourly minded man who went out of his way to help others, be it shovelling snow, stacking wood, house/animal sitting, chasing off a snooping bear, relocating a nuisance racoon or just checking up to see if everything was alright…he took great pride in knowing he was making a difference in someone else’s life.
Vance loved his life on Ghost Lake and talked fondly of his memories of summers growing up at the lake… from swimming, hiking to the public beach, camp visits from his many relatives and parties in the bug house. Although the latter years were tougher on him there, he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Towards the end of Vance’s life, people continued to come into his life, and for that he was eternally grateful. People who stepped into his life who made a huge impact on him, even at the very end, and to those people; Vance, his sister and brother-in-law, Cindy and Mike O’Brien (Cynthia Enge) would like to thank Norm and Sharon Miller, (daughters, and their extended family) for helping and being there for Vance whenever he needed help, or simply just checking in on him.
Cindy and Mike would sincerely like to thank Colleen and John Ladouceur for absolutely everything they have done to help Vance especially towards the end of life, always being there for even the smallest of things that Vance may have needed, they at times put Vance’s needs in front of their own, to make sure he was okay, and it is to all these people, that a ‘thank you’ is not enough but thank you!
Vance’s loved ones would like to extend their deepest gratitude to the Nurses, Doctors and support staff at Dryden Regional Health Centre for the care and kindness Vance received while in hospital.
A celebration of life will be held in the spring with a small group of family, and during the summer there will be a small celebration of life at his home, when his ashes will be let go, as per Vance’s request.
If you feel as though you want to donate anything, and in lieu of flowers, please donate to Second Chance Pet Network, Box 343, Dryden, ON P8N 2Z1, as animals were a huge part of Vance’s life.
Only one rule: Have Fun, Play Hard and Laugh Harder!
Condolences may be posted at www.dcfh.ca
Arrangements entrusted to the Dryden Community Funeral Home, 249 Grand Trunk Avenue, Dryden, ON P8N 2X3
