Gerald Socrates Vigee

Gerry was born in Crowley, Louisiana to Edward and Eva Simon Vigee. He graduated from Crowley High School where he played football and boxed in 1948. In 1950 he entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, a principal appointee of Senator Allen Ellender. He graduated in 1954, commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant. He became a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina and served in a forward deployed missile battalion in Germany until 1958. Upon return to civilian life he studied chemical engineering at LSU.

In 1960, while at NASA in Huntsville, Alabama, Gerry met his wife, Wilhelmina Rist Vigee. After earning his PhD in chemistry from LSU, he taught briefly at Ole Miss before joining the faculty at UAB in Birmingham, Alabama, as a teaching and research professor for 27 years. He retired as a full professor in 1996.

Gerry was passionate about many things, including military history, good Cajun food, wine and growing grapes. He spent 40 years hybridizing wild, native Alabama grapes with European varieties, producing grapes that could survive the Alabama climate and also make delicious wine. His Smith Lake vineyard provided grapes for the Bryant Winery in Talladega, Alabama. He loved to cook for friends and family, and he loved to travel. His fluent French paved the way during his and Willey's many European adventures. He proudly cherished his Cajun heritage.

Gerry is survived by his wife of 59 years, Wilhelmina; a daughter, Noelle Suzanne Young (Barry) of Mountain Brook, Alabama; two sons, John Edward Vigee (Annette) of Ashville, Alabama, and Dr. David Gerald Vigee (Alli) of Asheville, North Carolina; and a brother, Kennard Oneal Vigee of Lafayette, Louisiana.

Gerry was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Major Edwin Erwin Vigee and Donald Ray Vigee; 10 grandchildren, Darrell Stafford, Tabitha Vigee, Chase Vigee, Tori Vigee, Olivia Vigee, Benjamin Young, Emily Young, Logan Young, Madison Young, and Ethan Young; and many nieces and nephews.

Gerry loved his wife and family, and he loved life. He was a member of Saint Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church in Birmingham, the West Point Society of North Alabama, and the Alabama Wine and Grape Growers Association.

A funeral service with military honors will be on Friday, March 5, 2021 at 11 a.m. at Ridout's Southern Heritage Chapel, 475 Cahaba Valley Road, Pelham, AL 35124.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may go to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105. Or, give to Disabled American Veterans, PO Box 145447, Cincinnati, OH 45250 - 5447.