Nelson J. “Danny” Dance III
April 1, 1922 – November 10, 2021
Pittsburg, Missouri – Nelson Johnson Dance III, affectionately known as “Danny,” died peacefully Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021 at the age of 99. Nelson and his wife Sue had been living in Pittsburg, Missouri but had called Kansas City North their home for 63 years. Born on April 1, 1922, in Lewis County, Missouri to Nelson Johnson Dance and Emma (née Christman) Dance, Danny grew up on a farm during the Great Depression and was preceded in death by his mother, father and brother Melvin. He is survived by his wife, Sue (née Conwell) Dance of the home, his son Jeffrey Dance, of Kearney, Nebraska, one grandson, David Samuel Dance of Estes Park, Colorado and his daughter, Priscilla Dance Glass, of Pittsburg, Missouri and her wife Melanie.
Nelson, an Army Air-Corp veteran of WWII, proudly served his country from 1942 until he was honorably discharged in 1945. He achieved the rank of staff sergeant and was assigned to the 6th ARU (F) and sent to the South Pacific. The 6th was a unique unit of Army, Navy and Army Air-Corp personnel. Stationed aboard the Brig. General Alfred J. Lyon, the “6th” provided a “stand alone” floating mobile repair platform for combat damaged aircraft and radio equipment. Nelson was awarded campaign stars for Luzon, Kwajalein, Palawan and Eniwetok. In 1945, he witnessed the capitulation of Japanese forces in Manila and eventually became part of the initial occupation forces in Japan. Some of his memories included his unknowingly swimming in shark infested waters, having his still blow up prior to inspection and being the lone guard over 40 Japanese POWs.
Nelson joined TWA in 1946 and was employed with the airline until his retirement in 1984. He met and married Sue in 1950, and in 1955 built a home together in southern Platte County where they enjoyed 71 years of marriage. He traveled extensively in the U.S. and overseas with his family. Each summer, using his accumulated collection of maps, he would take off for a month at a time and with his family, travel the western U.S. where they would enjoy hiking, camping, rock climbing and fly fishing.
After his retirement, Nelson enjoyed his summer home on Pomme de Terre Lake where he would boat, fish (bait wife Sue’s rod) and enjoy the company of friends and family. He was an avid Royals and Chiefs fan, co-coached his son’s baseball team and later enjoyed watching his grandson “Sam” play baseball. He enjoyed and was very involved in genealogy and spent hours of research unraveling the Dance name. A man of many talents, he was also the family fixer of all things broken. Nelson was devoted to his wife and was the strength, the wisdom and a blessing to family and friends. In closing, all of us who knew him can rest assured that he is in God’s house watching either the Royals or the Chiefs.
A private gathering for immediate family only will be held at Meyers Northland Chapel on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021 followed by a graveside service with military honors at Terrace Park Cemetery Kansas City, MO. Memories of Nelson and condolences to the family may be shared at meyersfuneralchapel.com.
Arr: Entrusted with Meyers Northland Funeral Chapel in Parkville, MO.
April 1, 1922 – November 10, 2021
Pittsburg, Missouri – Nelson Johnson Dance III, affectionately known as “Danny,” died peacefully Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021 at the age of 99. Nelson and his wife Sue had been living in Pittsburg, Missouri but had called Kansas City North their home for 63 years. Born on April 1, 1922, in Lewis County, Missouri to Nelson Johnson Dance and Emma (née Christman) Dance, Danny grew up on a farm during the Great Depression and was preceded in death by his mother, father and brother Melvin. He is survived by his wife, Sue (née Conwell) Dance of the home, his son Jeffrey Dance, of Kearney, Nebraska, one grandson, David Samuel Dance of Estes Park, Colorado and his daughter, Priscilla Dance Glass, of Pittsburg, Missouri and her wife Melanie.
Nelson, an Army Air-Corp veteran of WWII, proudly served his country from 1942 until he was honorably discharged in 1945. He achieved the rank of staff sergeant and was assigned to the 6th ARU (F) and sent to the South Pacific. The 6th was a unique unit of Army, Navy and Army Air-Corp personnel. Stationed aboard the Brig. General Alfred J. Lyon, the “6th” provided a “stand alone” floating mobile repair platform for combat damaged aircraft and radio equipment. Nelson was awarded campaign stars for Luzon, Kwajalein, Palawan and Eniwetok. In 1945, he witnessed the capitulation of Japanese forces in Manila and eventually became part of the initial occupation forces in Japan. Some of his memories included his unknowingly swimming in shark infested waters, having his still blow up prior to inspection and being the lone guard over 40 Japanese POWs.
Nelson joined TWA in 1946 and was employed with the airline until his retirement in 1984. He met and married Sue in 1950, and in 1955 built a home together in southern Platte County where they enjoyed 71 years of marriage. He traveled extensively in the U.S. and overseas with his family. Each summer, using his accumulated collection of maps, he would take off for a month at a time and with his family, travel the western U.S. where they would enjoy hiking, camping, rock climbing and fly fishing.
After his retirement, Nelson enjoyed his summer home on Pomme de Terre Lake where he would boat, fish (bait wife Sue’s rod) and enjoy the company of friends and family. He was an avid Royals and Chiefs fan, co-coached his son’s baseball team and later enjoyed watching his grandson “Sam” play baseball. He enjoyed and was very involved in genealogy and spent hours of research unraveling the Dance name. A man of many talents, he was also the family fixer of all things broken. Nelson was devoted to his wife and was the strength, the wisdom and a blessing to family and friends. In closing, all of us who knew him can rest assured that he is in God’s house watching either the Royals or the Chiefs.
A private gathering for immediate family only will be held at Meyers Northland Chapel on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021 followed by a graveside service with military honors at Terrace Park Cemetery Kansas City, MO. Memories of Nelson and condolences to the family may be shared at meyersfuneralchapel.com.
Arr: Entrusted with Meyers Northland Funeral Chapel in Parkville, MO.
Published by Kansas City Star on Nov. 14, 2021.
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