Leland Dance

Leland “Jerry” Dance was born on April 14, 1942, in San Jose, California to Ruth Lucille Garner and William Leland Dance. Their family began with love, but life took an unexpected turn, and his parents divorced in his early years. The dissolution of his parents’ marriage led Jerry and his mother to relocate to the tranquil town of Chowchilla, California, where they moved in with his grandparents.

At the age of seven, Jerry's life took another turn when his mother fell in love again and married Raymond Smith. Ray, a man of immense kindness, embraced Jerry as his own. Together, this newly formed family embarked on a venture to start a new life in the California desert. Their first endeavor was to open a quaint bed & breakfast business at Clark Mountain.

When he was twelve, the family decided to move yet again and purchased property four miles south of the California-Nevada border at the Yates Well Road exit on the California side of Highway 15. Here, his parents established a different roadside business complete with a gas station, garage, and restaurant.

On the weekend’s teenager Jerry (who obtained his driver’s license at age 14) would head out driving the family tow truck up and own Highway 15 in search of cars that had broken down on the road. Rescued travelers often sang young Jerry’s praises as he towed them back to the family garage for gas or repairs. This caused his parents to proudly recount tales of their son's experiences on the road and to tease him for his excitement when he rescued famous performers and stars.

The remote desert location, however, posed a significant challenge because there was no high school nearby. The only option was to find a kindhearted family near a high school that he could board with. Luckily, he found that family in Barstow, California. This change began an entirely new routine of spending weekdays with his boarding family in Barstow and then returning home to his parents for the weekends.

During his years at Barstow High School, Jerry juggled academics with a part-time job at a local grocery store. In the beginning, his days were a blend of study and work until at the

age of sixteen, Jerry attained another significant milestone and moved into his own apartment!

It was also at Barstow High School that Jerry met his first wife, Sandra Ann Potter-Ferguson. The two young students found love and embarked on a new life together. They married in Las Vegas in 1960 and in the ensuing years they were blessed with two daughters, Sarah Ann, born in 1961, and Laura Jane, born in 1965. Shortly after Sarah’s birth, the young family moved to San Jose, California. There, Jerry and Sandy bought a home and settled down to raise their family.

Jerry supported his family by securing a position at Manor Markets, a local grocery business. His dedication and hard work paid off as he thrived in this role and eventually became the manager of their entire five-store operation (Mary Manor, Woodside Manor, Moorpark Manor, Los Gatos Manor, and Marsh Manor). For a period, he also managed their seaside grocery store on 41st Avenue in Santa Cruz.

In 1977, Jerry made a significant career shift and joined Ferguson Sales, a machinery sales business owned by his wife’s parents. He had all the right people skills which helped him excel in this new industry just as he had in the food business. It was his natural affinity for people that made him a successful salesperson, and that skill would serve him well in his subsequent career moves.

Jerry's next opportunity came with a high-tech equipment testing service sales position at Honeywell. He continued to work for the company as Director of Sales through its transitions, first to Metrum, then to Continental Viking Labs. In 1998, when Bell Technologies Testing division acquired Continental Viking Labs, Jerry was promoted to Director of Operations. His expertise and leadership were so valued that when Wyle Laboratories later purchased the company, they insisted on his inclusion in the deal. He worked diligently for them until his retirement in 2005.

In 1987, Jerry's personal life took a new turn when he was introduced to Gail Sonnenberg-LoBue through mutual friends. With his characteristic charm and warmth, Jerry won Gail's heart, and the couple exchanged wedding vows in September 1988. This union brought a delightful transformation into Jerry's life, as he embraced the role as a dad to Gail's three daughters: Marla, Lisa, and Tiffani. With the addition of these stepdaughters, Jerry's daughter count blossomed to five. His journey as a father has been marked by unwavering dedication, love, and kindness, proving him to be a wonderful and cherished figure in the lives of all his daughters.

Throughout his life, Jerry remained an outgoing and active person. He was a 32nd Degree mason, a member of the California Masonic Foundation and Shriners International. His favorite group was the San Jose 730 Club, where he cherished camaraderie and friendships.

Jerry's enthusiasm for automobiles was also a significant element of his personal identity. Over the years, he owned 23 cars, with his first being a 1939 Chevrolet. He joined several car clubs, including the San Jose Chevy Club and the Mustang Club. For 53 years, he has also been a committed member of the Santa Clara Valley Thunderbird Club where he shared his love for cars with a wonderful group of friends. Among the many cars he owned, some special T-Birds stood out. One was a T-Bird that his lifelong friend, Frank Marino, helped him restore. This labor of love took First Place in the touring class competition at the 1986 Regional held in Bend, Oregon. His very favorite car, though, was his Sunset Coral T-Bird, which he purchased with his wife, Gail, in 1989. This T-Bird was affectionately dubbed the “Pink Flamingo” by SCVT members on one very hot August night.

Jerry often said that while his Sunset Coral T-Bird was his favorite car, his most important contribution to SCVT was a little club mascot in the form of a sweet “wiener dog” named Molly. Jerry was a serious “Dachshund Dad” and always had a puppy on his arm or glued to his lap. They brought joy and embodied his kind and playful spirit

Beyond his love for cars, Jerry was an avid sports fan. He passionately supported the Oakland A’s and the Oakland Raiders. He attended games whenever he could and shared his enthusiasm with family and friends whenever he could.

Jerry was known for his sincere kindness, albeit with a mischievous twist. He was one of those genuinely “good guys” who could still manage to get into just a little bit of trouble. These traits made him even more endearing to those who knew him. Some say it was his sparkling blue eyes, while others believe it was his captivating personality that made him stand out. To everyone who had the privilege of knowing him, he was simply “Jerry Dance.”

Jerry passed away at the age of 83 years old, surrounded by family, on Friday, June 13, 2025, after fighting a 7-year battle with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, Atypical Parkinsonism Disease. Jerry will be remembered by his daughter, Laura Dance, and stepdaughters, Marla LoBue (Gary) Nelson and Tiffani LoBue. He will also be remembered by 3 grandchildren Christopher Jones, Cassondra Ali, and Corbin Hopkins, and his great grandson, Brandon Johnson. Jerry was predeceased by his daughter, Sarah Jones, and stepdaughter, Lisa LoBue.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of your choice or to Meet the Challenge, a homeless outreach close to the Dance Family’s heart. Meet the Challenge recently suffered a huge loss when their supply trailer was stolen, and they really need help. To learn more, go to a Go Fund Me site: https://www.gofundme.com/f/restore-hope-rebuild-meet-the-challenges-trailer or Meet the Challenge website: www.meetthechallenge.net.

A visitation for Leland will be held on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM in the Oaks Chapel at Oak Hill Funeral Home & Memorial Park, located at 300 Curtner Ave, San Jose, CA 95125.

The funeral service will follow from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM, with a catered reception from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM, and a committal service from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM — all taking place at the same location.