Mountain Profile: Ressa Vance "retires" after 18 years

Reeca Vance, long-time manager of Mildred’s Grill, announced her retirement at the end of 2007 after nearly two decades of service to Grandfather Mountain.

Vance was born and raised close to Knoxville in Harriman, Tennessee. Reesa's mom had been raised in Spruce Pine and when Reeca was in the fourth grade her mom sent the children back to the North Carolina to live at the Crossnore School.

Vance began working at Grandfather Golf and Country Club where she was a waitress and hostess for 16 years. She remembers this job as being lots of hard work and long hours.

“We would have to get there early for lunch each day, work through lunch and then return in the evening to serve dinner,” said Vance. “This was really tough having three children at home.”

While she was at Grandfather Golf and Country Club she worked with Harris Prevost who at the time was the club accountant and is Vice President of Grandfather Mountain today.

“It has been a joy working with Reeca at Grandfather Golf and Grandfather Mountain all these years,” said Prevost. “She cares a lot about people and her staff and she has been a second mother to all of us.”

After leaving the country club, Reeca and her husband Tudor leased two different restaurants in the area before then Grandfather Mountain President Hugh Morton Jr. offered her the job of restaurant manager at Grandfather Mountain in 1989.

“You see, there wasn’t even a restaurant at Grandfather in 1989,” says Reeca laughing. “It was to open in 1990 so we had to start from the ground up.”

Up until then the only food source for guests was a sandwich bar at the Top Shop so the proper equipment had to be bought, inspections had to be made and all new employees had to be hired.

Reeca is quick to add that it takes a certain type of person to be in the restaurant industry. She has learned through many years of experience that a good employee is one who likes to work with food, is fast with their hands, is able to concentrate and loves the job.

With Reeca being in the front lines of so much change at Grandfather she is still very excited about the Mountain and the new things going on. As construction was going on for the new, larger, energy efficient Fudge Shop below the Nature Museum, Reeca was watching from the Mildred Grill sunroom and saying that it was exciting “to just sit and watch it all take place.”

When it comes to her retirement, Vance said she just knew it was time. She still plans to work two days a week in the restaurant as a part-time employee and maybe even more once summer begins.

Vance admits that the first few weeks of her retirement were tough but now she seems to be more accepting of the free time each day.

“The first week I definitely was asking ‘What have I done?’ but I will admit that it’s hard to be a manger all the time,” said Vance. “And now it’s nice to come in as a part-time employee.”

Loving who you work for doesn’t hurt either. Reeca’s daughter Cami Buchanan was named manager of Mildred’s Grill after Reeca stepped down and her longtime colleague Madge Mayberry was named assistant manager.

Five ladies, including Vance, Buchanan and Mayberry have all worked at Mildred’s Grill for years and have formed a special bond. Kaye Erwin and Dianne Wise, who also recently retired, complete the group.

“Nothing ever came up that the five of us couldn’t do,” said Vance when discussing challenges that arose over the years.

It was not just her love for restaurant employees, but everyone working on the Mountain that has created a special place for Grandfather in her heart.

She notes throwing parties for Hugh Morton’s friends and guests and parties for all of the Mountain’s employees as some of her fondest memories. She always enjoyed the special treat of meeting celebrities that Morton had as guests on Grandfather such as Walter Cronkite and politicians.

Reeca also formed many special bonds with lots of customers. She is quick to start naming off a list of the many that she sees often in the restaurant that are near and dear to her heart.

Reeca, who has already taken a two-week vacation to Florida with her husband, has many more planed for the future. She hopes to travel much more, including a September cruise she already has planned, and to work in her flower garden. Vance also adds that not having to get up early anymore is a nice plus.

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