Vickie’s Eulogy

Since you are here today, I assume each of you knew my sister, Vickie. Maybe you worked with her, maybe you volunteered with her, maybe you were a neighbor of hers, or maybe you were part of her family. In fact, I’ve heard many of her friends say they thought of Vickie as family, they thought of her as their mother, their aunt, their grandmother, their sister. I was the luckiest because she was always my big sister and she became my best friend.

Our Dad was in the Air Force, so we lived in many places. Home was not a location, home was where we were all together. Vickie and I always shared a bedroom and often the same bed, so for me, home was with Vickie.

I think Vickie judged her many boyfriends and friends by how they treated her younger brothers and sister. Or maybe my parents said, “Sure, you can go out, as long as you take Ellen”. All I know is that Vickie took me on many outings with her dates and friends. I always felt welcome by her, not so much by some of her dates.

Bert, the love of her life, took me and my brothers, Eric and John, to the beach, hiking up waterfalls, fishing and then cooking our fresh catch. Bert made the final cut and I lost my room mate when they married in 1966.

Throughout high school, I spent my summers with Vickie and Bert, my niece Andrea, nephew Bert, and eventually niece Pam. I met many of you during these summers when I went to work with Vickie, went to church or camping with the family, went fishing, or walking the kids around town. I also followed Vickie’s lead of welcoming everyone who walked through her door. I witnessed how special she was to her friends and family. I hoped I would have a life as rich and full as hers.

Vickie also gave me a love of reading and learning. She read to me as a young girl and we often fell asleep reading in bed. She taught me to cook her family’s favorite meals, bake bread, can and preserve food during those summers that I lived with her. She taught me how to balance a checkbook and make a budget.

Vickie was many things to many people but most importantly she was kind, smart, faithful, patient, easy to laughter, and always looked for the good in others. I will miss Vickie, my big sister and my best friend. Mostly I am grateful to have had in her my life. I know she is in the best place possible, in eternal peace that passes all understanding.