John C. Vance, Ii

John Clyde Vance, II, "Johnny," of Dayton, OH died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, June 22, 2017, at his home in Dayton, OH.

He leaves his wife of 30 years, Fadia Vance; his daughters, Tracie Connolly and Jamie Lagrone; his son, John Vance, III; his step-son, Jonathan Hadaya; and his dogs, Maggy, Elmo, Sophie, and Willy.

Born and raised in Dayton, he was the son of John and Harriett Vance and was a lifelong resident of the Dayton community.

Johnny inherited Aristocrat Products from his father in 1963. At that time, the company was in debt and operated out of a one-car garage. Johnny's determination and vision built Aristocrat into one of the most prominent businesses in Dayton, but never lost sight of its humble beginnings. Johnny's commitment to his customers and his employees became Aristocrat's brand promise...and continues to be today.

The Dayton and larger Midwest communities got to know Aristocrat Products through over 40 years of unique TV advertising campaigns and the iconic Aristocrat #2 sprint car that became a staple at race tracks throughout the Midwest. Johnny's passion for his business and his employees bled into racing and equated to great successes on racing circuits throughout the United States. Johnny always measured success in the relationships with his team, his employees, and his drivers, but his on-track success cannot be ignored: 44 career USAC National Sprint Car wins, a USAC Silver Crown title (1981), and two USAC National Sprint Car championships (1990 and 1998). Johnny enjoyed a two-decade tenure as USAC Chief Steward, Supervisor, and Technical Chairman, and served as a steward of the Indianapolis 500 for many years.

From Aristocrat to the race track, Johnny's dogs were never far from his side. Whether it was on the seat of his truck, pulling his race cars home after a long day at Winchester or just a quick breakfast run to Waffle House, Maggy, Elmo, Sophie, and Willy were fixtures in Johnny's life at every turn.

John Clyde Vance, II, was a proud man of vision and practicality. He always paid his bills on time, never had his shirt untucked, always picked up the bill, and went out of his way to help people solve their problems with his unique, common-sense approach. His friends and family will remember Johnny for his humility, generosity, and his undying commitment to always doing the right thing.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, June 25, 2017 from 5-8 pm at Newcomer Funeral Home, 4104 Needmore Rd., Dayton, OH 45424 (937) 235-1000.

Funeral service will be held Monday, June 26, 2017 at 11 am at Fairview United Methodist Church, 828 W. Fairview Avenue, Dayton, OH 45406 (937) 274-2189. Burial will immediately follow in Dayton Memorial Park Cemetery. To leave a special message for the family, please click "Share Memories".