Reuben Herman Nance

NANCE, REUBEN H. Lt. Col. Reuben H. "Ben" Nance (USAF Ret.), age 92, died on Saturday, November 29, 2014. He died peacefully in his sleep at his son's house on Windy Hill Rd. Georgia Memorial Park Funeral Home & Cemetery assisted his family with arrangements. A graveside service with military honors was held on Tuesday, December 2, 2014. Ben was buried next to his beloved wife, Sara, who died in 1994. Ben was also preceded in death by grandson Michael Gratcyk, who died in a motorcycle accident in 2013. He is survived by his three Air Force brats Reuben Jr., Sue, and June. Additional survivors include seven grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and many cousins. Ben was born in 1922. He was very proud of his Sand Mountain, AL, roots. Ben was four years old when his father, also named Reuben, died in a work accident at the steel plant in Gadsden, AL. Ben was raised by his grandmother, Cora Fuller. They lived for a few years in Opelika, AL, before moving to Atlanta. His grandmother bought a boarding house at 757 Capitol Ave., and Ben grew up there dreaming about becoming a pilot. Ben graduated from Commercial High School in 1940. He studied drama and was in the glee club. He married Sara in 1941. He worked as a payroll clerk for Beers Construction Co. In 1943, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. His wife and infant son traveled by train to attend his graduation from flight school in Waco, TX. He became a B-25 pilot. He flew 50 combat missions in the South Pacific. He returned home when the war ended and was discharged. He worked as a furniture salesman. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1951 and was a C-47 pilot. While in the service, he attended night classes and received a BS degree from Florida Southern College. His major was business administration. Ben was an avid reader. He accumulated a large collection of books. He enjoyed reading about aviation, railroads, film-making, WWII, and the civil war. He also enjoyed model railroading. He built room-sized train layouts including scenery and a complete miniature town. He would then compose nuanced dioramas about the daily lives of the townspeople. The Nance family wants to express out heartfelt thanks to the WellStar Community Hospice staff for their compassionate care to Ben and our family. We also want to thank his primary caregiver, Cindy O., for her amazing patience, untiring effort, and dedication to Ben's personal care.