Barbara J Vickers

Barbara Jean Vickers (Odom) was born February 21, 1941 to Frank and Myrtle Odom, the first of their six daughters. As a girl she was around all kinds of animals and that was a love she would keep her whole life. She grew up in Kissimmee and attended Osceola High School. She had a beautiful voice and sang in the high school’s glee club and the choir at Campbell City Baptist Church. It was singing in this choir that would lead her to meet the love of her life, Eugene (Gene) Vickers. They were married on March 20th of 1959 in the old white wooden building the church had originally. Not long before their first son was born, Gene surrendered to the call to preach and they later pastored in Melbourne, Florida. Not many years later, they would return to Pastor at Campbell City Baptist church where they had first met. Barbara served as a Sunday school teacher and would sing almost every Sunday. She would recruit her children and later her grandchildren to sing with her as well. Barbara had the sweetest personality and happiest of memories serving as the Pastor’s wife for 30 years. Barbara and Gene were residents of Kenansville and gardened and raised animals together. They both enjoyed fishing and would do so on the ponds on their property. These are all things she shared with her children and her grandchildren. Barbara passed peacefully on February 25, 2020 and was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Caroline and Betty, a son Sheldon Vickers, son-in-law Jeff Sparkman, two grandsons Cody Eugene and Clayton Lee, and her husband Gene Vickers. She is succeeded in life by her sisters: Linda, Joyce, and Janet, children: Gloria (Joe) Menz, Charlie Vickers, and Jeannie Sparkman, her grandchildren: Mitchell Vickers, Jenna (Robert) Strickland, Coleton Vickers, Cecily Menz, and Randy Menz, her great-grandchildren: Cody Vickers and Nate and Kenzie Strickland, and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. She will be greatly missed by all her family and friends. Funeral services for Mrs. Vickers will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, February 29, 2020 at the First Missionary Baptist Church of Kenansville with the Rev. Danny Strickland officiating. Family will receive friends from 5:00 to 8:00 PM on Friday, February 28, 2020 at Osceola Memory Gardens Funeral Home, 2000 13th in St. Cloud. Interment in Kenansville Cemetery will follow the service. Arrangements entrusted to Osceola Memory Gardens, St. Cloud, www.OsceolaMemGds.com.

Barbara J Vickers

February 21, 1941 - February 25, 2020