Virgie Lou Wickes

Born July 20, 1925 to Nell (Richardson) and Albert Olmstead in Omaha, Nebraska, Virgie was the youngest of eight children. After a brief career working as a trainer at Bell Telephone Company in Cincinnati, Ohio she married Robert B. Wickes of Ontario, New York Dec. 18, 1948. Soon after their marriage, the couple moved to Dallas, Texas and raised their six children. Upon retirement in 1989, they moved to Port Ludlow, Washington. Robert and Virgie shared 53 years of marriage until Robert passed away in 2002. Shortly after, Virgie left Port Ludlow and moved to Austin, Texas to be near her children & grandchildren. Virgie was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She enjoyed traveling, reading, and most of all, being with family. She was a member of St. Luke’s on the Lake Episcopal Church.

She is survived by four daughters, Beatrice Ellison (Michael) of Austin, TX, Alison Groves (Gilbert) of Carlsbad, CA, Meredith Shepardson (Steven) of Austin, TX, and Carolyn Lacy (Neil) of Austin, TX; two sons, Philip Wickes of Dripping Springs, TX and Henry Wickes (Brenda) of Austin, TX.; eight grandchildren, Lela Ellison (Tom), Staci Ellison, Stephanie Wadas (Robert) of Austin, TX, Benjamin Groves of Carlsbad, CA, Keith Lacy, Micaela Lacy, Aaron Wickes, and Andrew Wickes of Austin, TX.; and great-grandson, Bradley Wadas of Austin, TX. Special thanks to Katherine Peake for all her love and support.

The family would like to thank The House at Cedar Ridge and Odyssey VistaCare Hospice Foundation for their care and support they provided for Virgie.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 28, 2011 at 10 a.m. at St. Luke’s on the Lake Episcopal Church, 5600 Ranch Road 620 North, Austin, TX.

Memorial donations may be made to St. Luke’s on the Lake Episcopal Church, 5600 Ranch Road 620 North, Austin, TX or The Odyssey VistaCare Hospice Foundation, 717 N. Harwood, Suite 1500, Dallas, TX 75201 (www.ovhf.org).

To share memories of Virgie with the family, please visit www.cookwaldencapitalparks.com.