Burnside councilor Vanover remembered; died at 75

Mar. 15—Terry Vanover served the City of Burnside until he simply couldn't any longer.

Vanover passed away this past Thursday, March 9, at age 75. And even though he was battling cancer, up until the last couple of City Council meetings, Vanover continued to take his seat at the table and represent the people of Burnside.

"Terry was not only a councilman, he was a good friend," said Burnside Mayor Robert Lawson, who became mayor during Vanover's first term. "He's going to be sorely missed. He loved the city.

"He called me in January and told me then, 'Robert, go ahead and take me off (the council),' and I said, 'No, I will not do that. That's not my decision, that's going to be yours, and I speak for the council too because the council said the same thing,'" said Lawson. "Only Terry knew when he needed to come off. Everybody respected him that much."

The council is expected to appoint someone to take Vanover's seat on the council at a special called meeting Thursday.

Vanover was first elected to the Burnside City Council in 2014, but failed to keep his seat in the 2016 vote. Two years later, Vanover was voted back onto the council, and remained in that position until his passing.

He also served on other boards representing the city, including the Police Committee and the Tourism Commission.

Vanover came to Burnside with wife Linda in 2008. They had previously lived in Vandalia, Ohio, although Terry was a native of eastern Kentucky, born in Hazard and an alum of Leslie County High School.

Linda recalled that Terry's family had property in the area, and they would come down to Lake Cumberland on the weekends and in the summers, like so many in the "Ohio Navy." After Terry's 2003 retirement from a supervisor position at Heidelberg Printing, which made printing presses, the Vanovers eventually decided to move to Burnside.

After moving here, Vanover would take a job in security for AHF Products, which he held for several years.

Linda Vanover recalled former mayor Ron Jones and his late wife Emma Lou helping inspire Terry's council service.

"We wanted (Burnside) to thrive more than it was," said Linda Vanover.

Dwayne Sellers was Vanover's neighbor as well as his fellow councilor. Sellers said that Vanover ran for the council because he "just wanted to do good" for the community.

"I'm glad to have known him," said Sellers. "Terry was a wonderful person and a good friend to me."

Sellers said he recently took Linda Vanover her late husband's nameplate from the council chambers, as well as his certificate showing he'd been elected to Burnside City Government.

As his neighbor, Sellers said he had talked to Vanover about getting involved on the council "quite often" and actively campaigned for Vanover before his second term — something he didn't even do for himself, he said.

"Everybody I could speak to, I spoke for Terry," said Sellers. "Not as many people knew him as I feel know me."

Vanover also held a notable distinction — he lived in the only home ever brought up to current Burnside from the old part of town now covered by Lake Cumberland.

Now residing on East Lakeshore Drive, the house was known as "Dudley Manor" in the past. It was pulled by a truck on a trailer up to the higher ground, and Sellers believes it's the oldest house in Burnside. Terry loved that about the home, noted Linda, as he was a "history buff."

Added Linda Vanover, "He loved Burnside."