Obituary

Carole A. Vickers
(October 23, 2014)

Dr. Carole A. Vickers, a retired dean of the education department at Marshall University, died in a Houston hospital Thursday morning during open heart surgery. She was 81. Carole had been living for the past 10 years in the Camelot Retirement Community in Harlingen, Texas, where her activities included being a member of the local garden club, the Center for Creative Retirement and the Harlingen Literacy Center, among others. In 1969 she attained a doctorate in family economics and management from The Ohio State University. She had earned both her bachelor’s and master’s Degrees In vocational home economics education from Marshall University. A native of Huntington, Carole was the valedictorian of her graduating class at Vinson High School. She taught at Barboursville High School and later was an instructor at Concord College before joining the faculty at Marshall in 1966 as an assistant professor. She served the university and its students as a teacher, mentor and administrator for 31 years, eventually rising to be dean of education. While on the faculty at Marshall, she and her late husband, Ross, chose to build a house in the small community of Milton. Carole soon became a dynamic force in that community where she was involved in many clubs and was a faithful member of the Milton Presbyterian Church. In the early years of her retirement she operated her Milton home as a bed and breakfast enjoyed by many guests from near and far. Her distinguished academic career was dotted with a multitude of awards including such accomplishments as distinguished fellow at the American Council on Consumer Interests; being a commemorative lecturer at the American Home Economic Association; serving as a member of the board of directors of the Marshall University Alumni Association and the winner of the coveted “We Are Marshall” 20th Century Distinguished Service Award for the Marshall University Alumni Association. In Harlingen, she was an extremely involved member of the congregation at the Treasure Hills Presbyterian Church and a devoted follower of the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team. A graveside service will be conducted at Woodmere Memorial Park in Huntington, West Virginia at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, October 29, 2014. Local arrangements are being made by Heck Funeral Home, Milton. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Marshall University General Scholarship Fund.