Larry Vance

Larry James Vance, son of Raleigh and Marie (James) Vance, was born on March 31, 1938 in a farmhouse west of Bladen, Nebraska. He gained his wings on April 3, 2026 at Heritage of Webster County in Red Cloud at the age of 88 years, 3 days. Larry was baptized and confirmed at Bladen United Methodist Church and was a lifetime member. He attended Harmony School west of Bladen before graduating from Bladen High School in the Class of 1955. Larry’s favorite sport was basketball, and he was a star player in high school.

After a brief stint working for a railroad company in Wyoming, he married Bonna Borwege on April 6, 1958, and the couple eventually located to the Vance homestead northwest of Bladen where Larry began farming and raising cattle and horses. Larry began his horse showing career in the 1960’s after purchasing a well-bred broodmare. Then he won his first trophy and the race was on---from halter horses, to performance horses and then on to cutting horses!

Larry began devoting his time to the training and showing of cutting horses when the family moved to a ranch north of Inavale upon completion of a 14-stall horse barn and an indoor arena. This transition enhanced his passion for cutting, and he spent the rest of his life training his own horses and outside horses. Larry also became a National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) judge where he traveled all over the United States. The last show that he judged was in 2007.

During his lifetime, Larry was blessed with an array of really good horses to ride and train. The one little stud that God gifted him with was a horse named “Smoken George.” That little bay horse could be a rogue and a scoundrel rolled into one, but when you put George on a cow, he came to life! He knew then what he was bred to do, and he did it for Larry and all family members. George was a great sire as well. Ironically, Larry was with George when he succumbed to a twisted gut while being treated at Kansas State University. Larry and George were alike in so many ways---athletic, strong-willed, and with a ‘never give up’ attitude. It was a match made in heaven!

Larry and Bonna raised three sons: Cody Lynn (Feb., 26, 1960), Monte Jay (Feb. 28, 1962), and Tyler James (TJ) (Dec. 5, 1979).

Larry is survived by wife Bonna of Inavale; son Cody of Crete; brother Lon (Linda) Vance of Rochester Hills, Michigan; daughter-in-law Tara (Faber) Vance of Inavale; grandchildren Walker (Hyeji) Vance of South Korea; Wes (Kara Himmelberg) Vance of Red Cloud; Hannah (Zach) Simpson of Red Cloud; and Trey Vance and Tanner Vance of Inavale; great grandchildren Havi Vance, Sawyer Vance and Josey Vance, and Zakai Simpson; sisters-in-law Sharon Burgess of Red Cloud, Diane (Larry) Overy of Pauline, and Sonja Borwege of Miltonvale, Kansas; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Larry was preceded in death by his parents; sons, Monte and TJ; sister Judy (Vance) Schollmeyer; parents-in-law Norbert and LaVona Borwege; brothers-in-law Ken Lauenstein, Derald Burgess, Larry Sanford, Leonard Kucera, and Scott Borwege; and sister-in-law Colleen (Borwege) Kucera.

Larry was highly respected by those who knew and loved him. He was a man of his word and a man of the land. From a young farm boy, all Larry wanted was to be a cowboy. He certainly attained that goal.

Larry was truly blessed with family and friends, and he loved his horses since he was a little boy. God instilled a gift of horsemanship within him. Larry left a legacy, and he will be missed.

Memberships and activities:

• American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), as a lifetime member and judge
• National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA), as a lifetime member and judge
• Cutting Horse Association of Nebraska (CHAN), as a lifetime member and judge
• Bladen Public School, as a school board member
• Webster County Agricultural Association (Fair Board), as a member
• Bladen United Methodist Church, as a lifetime member

A Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 9, 2026 from 1PM until 8PM with Family Receiving Friends from 5PM until 8PM at Williams & Kuehn Funeral Home in Red Cloud. Funeral Service will be on Friday, April 10, 2026 starting at 10:30AM at the Bladen United Methodist Church. Memorials are suggested to the Larry Vance Memorial Fund and may be sent in care of Williams & Kuehn Funeral Home, 241 West 4th Ave., Red Cloud, NE 68970.