On Saturday, April 25, 2020, Louisiana's community of funeral professionals lost an invaluable member, in the passing of John N. Vickers, III, at the age of 79. He was the devoted husband of Meredith "Dee" Lemoine Vickers. Loving father of John Joseph Vickers (Mindy), Debra Lynn Vickers (Troy LeBlanc), and Deral Lynn Morse (Ricky). Proud grandfather of Jonathan (Ashlyn Jessie), Payton, and Braden Vickers; Brandon and Amber Gross, and Tiffany Droddy (Patrick); Dani and Derrick Morse; and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; John N. Vickers, Jr. and Bernice Barnes Vickers, grandchildren; baby Steven Andrew Vickers and infant twins Alexandra LyNann Morse and Taylor Alexander Morse.
John embarked on his illustrious career in the funeral industry after graduating from Common Wealth Institute of Funeral Service in Houston, Texas, and became a licensed funeral director and embalmer in Louisiana in 1965.
A two-term president of the Louisiana Funeral Directors Association, John served the families of the greater New Orleans area with professionalism and compassion for a total of 55 years. He moved from Baton Rouge in 1972, to St. Bernard Parish, where he was the manager of Lamana Panno Fallo Funeral Home until its acquirement by Stewart Enterprises. John subsequently managed and worked for St. Bernard Memorial until opening and managing his own funeral home, Vickers, Verrette, and Dornan, from 2000 - 2005. He ultimately became synonymous with funeral service in St. Bernard Parish.
John played an instrumental role in the recovery and identification of Hurricane Katrina's true victims, as well as the restoration of numerous cemeteries after Hurricanes Katrina and Isaac. He was an active member of the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team, Region VI, for 20 years, as well as an instructor for the Louisiana Office of Emergency Preparedness.
Outside of his career as a funeral director and embalmer, John thrived by giving back to his community. He was a Lieutenant of the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office, a collaborator of the Louisiana Job Training Partnership Act, and a past president of the Rotary Club of St. Bernard, where he was the founding chairman of the St. Bernard Junior Miss Scholarship Program.
In recent years, John was a funeral director at St. Bernard Memorial Funeral Home, where he dutifully worked until the day before his admission to the hospital. There, he received a diagnosis of aggressive pancreatic cancer. Surrounded by his loving family, he passed away peacefully, in his home, a few days later.
Delayed by coronavirus restrictions, relatives and friends are invited to attend a memorial gathering and celebration of John’s life to be held at St. Bernard Memorial Funeral Home, 701 W. Virtue St., Chalmette, LA on Saturday, July 11, 2020, from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM. A Memorial Mass will begin at noon. Inurnment will be private. John was a proud sponsor of both St. Jude Children’s Hospital and The Wounded Warriors Project. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation at www.stjude.org or www.woundedwarriorproject.org.
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