Vivian Laru Nance

Vivian Laru Nance, 90, of Camden, transitioned in the early morning hours of Sunday, November 19 from being an angel on this earth to being an angel in Heaven. She was a Christian from the age of nine years, always a strong warrior for God. The only child of the late Grady and Clara (Lewis) Perritt, Vivian was bom October 2, 1927 in Wesson. Her father moved the family to Ogemaw and worked for the old Gammill lumber mill as a saw filer while Vivian was still a toddler, relocating to Camden when she was seven years old. As the family resided in an upstairs apartment in 1939, they narrowly escaped an early morning coal-oil fire which burned the Perritt's Grocery building on what was then known as South Main (Adams Avenue) at the ravine near Downtown. Vivian went on to become an accomplished biblical scholar and musician, graduating in 1945 in the Top 10 of her class at Camden High School. Everyone who met Vivian immediately loved her. She never left anyone a stranger but as a friend in Christ. A lifelong member of the Assembly of God, Vivian dearly enjoyed Christian fellowship as she sang in the choir and participated in quilting bees and other church activities. She could perform on her own accordion and violin, and was the pianist at First Assembly of God going back to its days on Center Street. She gave piano lessons to generations of Camden youngsters. Vivian always put God first, and her children second. She loved all her children from the first breath they took, until the last breath she took. In her last year of life, she was very happy to be able to see her youngest grandson graduate from high school, and her only granddaughter wed. Also preceding Vivian in death was her husband, Elmer Nance, in 1999. She is survived by her children, Grady Nance, James Nance, and Teresa (Edward) Parham, all of Camden; four grandchildren, Shane Nance, Jeremy Nance, Jamie (Austin) Schwartz, and Robert Parham; and one great-grandchild, Austin Nance. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Proctor Funeral Home. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at Victory Church, burial at Memorial Park Cemetery. To sign the online guest register visit www.proctorfuneralhome.com.