On Saturday, Roan Mountain residents and Carter County officials will gather to pay tribute to a local resident one year after his death.
A special dedication ceremony will be held Saturday at 3 p.m. at the entrance to the Heaton Creek Community to dedicate the bridge there to the memory of Dan Vance, who was killed on July 4, 2014. Guest speakers will include County Mayor Leon Humphrey and Commissioner Nancy Brown, who represents the 2nd District. Immediately after the ceremony, a community reception and celebration will be held at the Triple J Farm event center on Heaton Creek Road in Roan Mountain.
In January, the Carter County Commission unanimously approved a resolution to designate the bridge located at the entrance to Heaton Creek Road as the “Dan Vance Memorial Bridge.”
The matter was first brought to the Highway Committee after family members, friends and neighbors of Vance circulated petitions in Roan Mountain requesting the bridge be named in his honor.
In the resolution honoring Vance, the Commission noted many things about his life, including his service to his community and his commitment to helping others.
“Mr. Vance worked at Roan Mountain State Park for 33 years where he served not only the residents of Carter County, but also helped to share the natural beauty of Carter County with people from all over the country,” the resolution said. “Mr. Vance was beloved in Heaton Creek and throughout Carter County for his generous spirit and kind-hearted nature. (He) was always quick to lend a helping hand to a neighbor and he would often selflessly give of his time, money or possessions to those in need.”
Vance was a life-long resident of the Heaton Creek Community and was often referred to as “The Mayor of Heaton Creek” as well as “The Gatekeeper of Heaton Creek.”