Obituary of Stuart Lee Dance , 85

Stuart Lee Dance, III (Stu), a long-time resident of State College and dedicated community contributor, passed away peacefully on July 23, 2014 at the age of 85.

Stu was born Feb. 21, 1929, in Istanbul, Turkey, the son of American parents working abroad. His childhood years were spent in Tokyo, Japan from 1930 to 1940, when his family returned to the US just before Pearl Harbor.

Stu Dance is survived by his beloved wife Jean, his brother Robert B. Dance of Kinston, NC; his four daughters: Kimberley Dance Schauble of Asheboro, NC and her husband Carl; Elizabeth Leigh Dance of Brussels, Belgium and her husband Aldo Mazzoni; Susan Noreen Dance of State College; Jodey Spencer Dance of Ellicott City, MD and Big Timber, MT and her partner Joe Stewart; as well as five grandchildren: Kipp, Cody and Cara Schauble; Anna Livia Mazzoni; Dalton Whitaker.

Stu Dance and his family left and returned to State College three times during his career, settling here in 1981. He also lived and worked in Philadelphia and Bucks County, the Washington DC area, Virginia, North Carolina, Dayton and Kansas City. He worked with Westinghouse, RCA and Curtiss-Wright before coming to HRB Singer (now Raytheon) in State College, where he was Vice President of Program Development. Stu was also a Vice President of Melpar (now Raytheon) and several other companies including C-COR Electronics, Magnavox and Locus. In the 1950’s he completed military service in the US Air Force Air Research & Development Command, as a contracting officer and First Lieutenant. A 1950 Aero Engineering graduate of Virginia Tech, Stu also attended Westinghouse Management School at Univ. of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, and many professional education programs in contracting, acquisitions, marketing and finance.

Stu Dance was an avid athlete, co-captain of his university swim team, and member of the track and tennis teams. He bicycled near Toftrees and swam at the State College YMCA well into his 80’s. Jean and Stu were avid boaters as well. They explored the Chesapeake Bay for eight years in their trawler “Last Dance” before cruising the Intracoastal Waterway to Florida’s west coast where they cruised for seven years. Stu Dance was a talented woodworker and model builder, a hunter and fisherman, and an enthusiastic player of ukulele and tenor banjo. He taught ukulele and coastal cruising classes at OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) in State College. Stu Dance was President of the State College Family YMCA Board when it had rented facilities on Atherton St. He managed the program which resulted in building the current Y facility at Whitehall Rd. In his 80’s Stu launched and led Aging in Place/Centre County, including gaining non-profit status, and in early 2014 received Volunteer of the Year recognition for “turning the idea of supporting our older neighbors into a reality.” Dance was secretary of Mountain Acres Company for 21 years, and held many community roles in each place he lived, particularly State College. He belonged to several Presbyterian churches, serving as Chairman of Deacons, and was a long-time singer in church choir.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, August 2nd at 12:30pm at the State College Presbyterian Church. Visitation will be Friday, August 1st from 5-7pm at Koch Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Aging in Place/Centre County (www.aginginplaceincentrecountypa.org ) or the YMCA of Centre County – State Branch (814 237-7717).

Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home, State College. Online condolences and signing of the guest book may be entered at www.kochfuneralhome.com.