Rev. Marvin Eugene Vickrey

After graduating from Jackson High School in Jackson, Missouri and while working at the local hardware store, Gene felt a call into the ministry. He began attending Southwest Baptist College in Boliver, Missouri in the fall of 1950. While at college, Gene met the love of his life. He immediately fell in love when he heard Alberta’s wonderful giggle. They were married on the 11th of May 1951. In 1953, Gene accepted the call to serve as pastor of Burfordville Baptist Church. While serving at Burfordville, Gene and Alberta were blessed with the birth of their sons, Marvin in 1954 and John in 1955. The family moved to the Kansas City area in 1955 so Gene could attend William Jewell College. While completing his undergraduate studies Gene served as pastor at Enon Baptist Church and Union Baptist Church simultaneously.

In 1957 Gene and his family moved to Marceline to serve Pleasant Grove Baptist Church as their pastor. Graduation finally arrived in 1958 and Gene immediately enrolled at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City. While attending Southwestern, Gene accepted a call to serve as pastor of Nashua Baptist Church. With the support of the congregation and his family, Gene received his Master of Divinity while serving as pastor Nashua Baptist Church. Soon after, Gene and Alberta decided on faith to move the family to the Houston area so he could enroll in the Clinical Pastoral Education program at the Institute of Religion. Gene was offered the position of Pastoral Care Intern at South Main Baptist Church for the summer. However, Gene discovered that God’s definition of summer equals 35 years!

While serving South Main Baptist, Gene and Alberta were blessed by the birth of their third child, Gina in 1967.

After retiring from service at South Main, Gene discovered a new passion. He began serving the city of Houston and surrounding area by providing comfort and guidance as families memorialized the lives and legacies of their loved ones. Gene's kind, joyful spirit touched many lives through his work. Gene was a dedicated teacher of the Primetimers Sunday School class for over twenty years. His smile and laughter will be dearly missed. Gene will be remembered for his ability to help families to laugh and cry as they celebrated the lives of their loved ones, his larger than life personality his genuine interest in those he met and his lifelong faith in our Lord.

Gene was preceded in death by his loving wife of over 62 years, Alberta May Vickrey; his parents, John and Helen Vickrey; and his son, Marvin Eugene Vickrey, Jr. He is survived by his daughter, Gina Vickrey Mann and husband, Rev. Jack Mann, Jr. of Cypress; and son, John Vickrey of The Woodlands; sister, Nancy Vickrey Kinder and husband Jim; brother, Charles Vickrey; his five grandchildren, Shelley Vickrey of Dallas, Amanda Chaffins and husband Chris Chaffins of Dallas, Josh, Ryan, and Mackenzie Mann of Cypress; his five great-grandchildren, Lauryn Vickrey, Kirsten Salazar, Conner, Carter and Cason Chaffins; sister-in-law, Becky Carver; brother-in-law, Jim Carver and wife Marilyn; and numerous nieces, nephews and loved ones.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from two o'clock in the afternoon until five o'clock in the evening on Sunday, the 30th of July, in the library and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

Following a private interment at Earthman Resthaven Cemetery, a memorial service is to be conducted at eleven o'clock in the morning on Monday, the 31st of July, in the Sanctuary of South Main Baptist Church, 4100 Main Street in Houston, where Dr. Steve Wells, Senior Pastor, Rev. Greg Funderburk, Minister to Adults and Pastoral Care, and Erin Conaway, Pastor of Seventh and James Baptist Church in Waco, are to officiate.

Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception in the fellowship hall.

In lieu of customary remembrances, contributions in Gene's memory may be directed to the John Vickrey Fund at South Main Baptist Church, 4100 Main St., Houston, TX, 77002.