Mr. Steve Bernard Lance, age 62 of Smyrna, GA, passed away on June 1. Born January 13, 1948, in Brevard, NC, to Earl and Geneva Lance (deceased).

Mr. Lance served in the United States Army in Vietnam from 1969 to 1971, as an undercover intelligence agent. He received the Bronze Star medal for bravery.

Steve was a Renaissance man; able to build a house by himself from the ground up, fix anything even if he had to make a tool to do it; created beautiful works of art that often surprised even him as they took shape. Many times he said he was just the instrument, that something else was moving his paint brush. On his numerous trips to Italy, he always felt like he had died and gone to heaven at being surrounded by so much genius. His only regret was that his own work was not known in his lifetime. Steve's paintings are online at www.stevelance.com.

Mr. Steve Lance is survived by wife, Colleen Bates Lance; daughters Jessie Sue Hibbs, Jeri Michael Lance and Molly McKenzie Lance and three grandchildern,Gustav Lance Schmidt,Allison Mackenzie Fleming,and Landen Monroe Fleming all all of Portland Oregon; brother Ronald Lance of Troy Michigan; father and mother-in-law, Olin and Kathleen Bates, sisters-in-law, Edie Bates, Melinda Bates and Laura Bates; brother-in-law, Virgil Penland, uncle Paul Lance of Savannah and many cousins throughout the country.

Mr. Lance donated his body to medical research through the private organization, MedCure, in the hopes that progress can be made in determining why non-Hodgkin's lymphoma occurs so often in Vietnam veterans.

A private family service will be held at a later date.

The Olin L. Gammage & Sons is making this announcement for the family of Mr. Steve Bernard Lance.