Kathleen B. Dance of Ivanhoe, Virginia passed away on 8/1/08. Mrs. Dance, widow of Edward H. Dance of Ivanhoe and Willie Gray Thomas, Jr. had been in ill health for sometime, but died peacefully in her sleep. She was the daughter of John H. Black and Mattie Hagood Black of Town Creek, Alabama

She is survived by her aunt, Alpha Hagood Jeffreys of Decatur, Alabama, and a sister Betty Leathley of Livonia, Michigan; her children Dell Ester Dance of Memphis, Tennessee; Betty J. Cole of Newark, California; John Robert Thomas of Jacksonville Florida; Nancy Kathleen Thomas of Winston-Salem, NC and Charles Howard Thomas of Fries/Ivanhoe, Virginia and her grandchildren: Yvonne Thomas, Hayley Cole, Tony Cole, Tracy Thomas-Overbeck, Robert Thomas, Ryan Thomas, Damaskas Thomas, Jasper Thomas, and Mathew Thomas. She also is survived by cousins Silas Black Cross of Huntsville, Alabama and Magdalene Powell of Decatur, Alabama.
Kathleen had lived in Ivanhoe/Fries for the past 30 years in a steel house designed and built by her husband Edward H. Dance. Mrs. Dance was well loved and respected in the community and had worked as a volunteer for Twin County Regional Hospital in Galx. Kathleen was the executive producer of Morning Song Way, a local indeendent film written and directed by her son, Charles Thomas. she was a major stock holder on the board of directors for Drydock Film Corporations which is continuing to use local residents as actors as the company continues to make films.

She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. Her wit, charm and graciousness will be sorely missed by all. The family wishes to thank Twin County Community Regional Healthcare and the Fries Family Care Cener for all of their care and concern during Mrs. Dance's illness.

Funeral services will be held at Cold Springs United Methodist Church in Fries, Virginia on Thursday August 7th. Viewing will begin at 1:00 PM and the service will follow at 2:00 PM. Interment will be immediately following the service at the cemetery at Cold Springs United Methodist Church. Flowers and condolences may be sent to Vaughan-Guynn Funeral Home, 201 W.Center Street, Galax, VA 24333. Memorials can be made to the Ivanhoe/Fire and Rescue or the Fries Fire and Rescue or the Fries Recreational Swimming Pool Fund.