Helene Mahan Vickers

Our beloved mother Helene Mahan Vickers passed away at the age of 61 on October 6, 2026, in her home in Jacksonville. She was born on Valentine's Day, 1965, in Orlando to Samuel and Roberta Vickers.

Helene spent her early life in Orlando before moving with her family to Jacksonville, eventually graduating from The Bolles School in 1983. She then attended Southern Methodist University, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English literature before going on to earn her master’s degree from the University of South Carolina. She had a passion for writing and worked for a time as a sports reporter in Jacksonville. Even after leaving her position to raise her two children full-time, Helene still wrote in her journal nearly every day for most of her life.

She loved the works of Walt Whitman, and just like Whitman, she reveled in nature. She spent many years as both a camper and counselor at Camp Glen Arden in North Carolina. She often spoke of working at the camp stables, where her daughter Carlie eventually followed in her footsteps.

Later in life, Helene worked extensively to catalog her family’s history and the thousands of photographs that exist of them. Photos of family spanning many generations often adorned the walls of her home.

A lifelong Gamecock fan, Helene loved nothing more than to root for the University of South Carolina on Saturdays with her family. To say she was passionate about college football would be an understatement. On days when her team won, she was ecstatic and radiated happiness. On days when her team lost, she was to be avoided at all costs.

Helene was no stranger to adversity. Yet in spite of this, or perhaps because of it, Helene stopped at nothing to support those in her life whom she saw to be in trouble. She cared for people deeply. She treated friends as family and strangers as friends. Helene was not usually the first to arrive at parties and other functions, but she was almost always the last to leave. She talked with everyone; without exaggeration, she was a social butterfly. She had so much love to give, and in the end, she gave everything she had.

Helene is survived by her daughter Carlie and son Alex as well as her once husband and ever-loving partner, Anthony. She is also survived by her parents Sam and Robbie.

Helene’s memorial will take place on Saturday November 7th at 11am at The Hardage-Giddens Oaklawn Legacy Lodge. The address is 4801 San Jose Blvd Jacksonville, FL 32207. In the spirit of Helene, we kindly ask that everyone wear colorful or neutral attire and to please reframe from wearing black. Her family will be sporting yellow to represent the light that Helene was and always will be.