Vickie was born on April 18, 1955, in Lamar, Colorado, to Donald and Jean Simmons. Vickie had many happy memories from her childhood- making homemade ice cream, getting new clothes and shoes for school, Christmas at the Elks Lodge, and sock hops at school. Her favorite meal was her mom’s chicken fried steak; and on days that her dad got paid he would bring home bologna, chips, a six pack of Pepsi, and half a gallon of vanilla ice cream.
Vickie married the love of her life, Gary Owen, on May 22, 1979. Gary and Vickie loved to travel. During their 41 years of marriage, they went on many trips together, including cruises to Mexico and the Caribbean islands, Hawaii, Alaska, New York, and New Orleans. They also traveled to many parts of Europe, spending time in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, taking boat rides through Venice, and seeing the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Her favorite memories from those trips were swimming with the dolphins, whale watching, going to a luau, seeing the geysers in Yellowstone, and sitting in downtown Las Vegas and people watching with her brother, Ernie, and Gary. Vickie’s favorite gift from Gary was a beautiful diamond ring, and her most treasured anniversary was celebrated with dinner and a limo ride.
Vickie had a few different jobs throughout her lifetime. She cleaned houses for 12 years, worked as a hospitality employee at Holiday Inn for seven years, and served food in the Nisley Elementary School cafeteria for two years. She loved Steven King novels, carnations, Elvis Presley, the movie Pretty Woman, and the colors pink and purple.
Vickie discovered she had metastatic cancer in 2008. This type of cancer has no cure, but Vickie fought like a warrior for nearly 13 years. Although she was going through chemo treatments and in a great deal of pain, she still enjoyed her husband, her family, her travels, and her friends.
Vickie is survived by her loving husband, Gary; her children, Stacy (Chris) Salling of Lamar, Colorado, Misty Halfmoon of Purdy, Missouri, Heather Owen of Lamar, Michael Owen of Grand Junction, and Shilo (Dalton) Coleman of Clifton; her sister, Wanda (Ron) Trout, of Lamar; and brother, Ernie (Liz) Simmons of Clifton. She was also a proud grandmother of 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Vickie is preceded in death by her parents; and her sister, Madelyn Koeller.
A funeral service was held at 3:00 PM, Saturday, May 16, 2020 at the Elm Avenue Baptist Church.
