Dr. Frank Vickers

Frank Allen Vickers, M.D. Frank Allen Vickers, M.D. was born November 27, 1934 in Houston, the youngest of five children of C.T. and Olivia Vickers. He passed peacefully into the arms of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on June 15, 2013. Frank grew up in Houston's historic Heights neighborhood and his family was active in the Woodland Heights Baptist Church where he met Geraldine “Gerry” Franklin in the youth group. The ever confident and funny young man was completely smitten by this quiet, yet smart, green-eyed beauty whom he later married. He graduated from Reagan High School in December, 1953 and immediately began attending University of Houston. During the summer of 1954, he attended summer camp at Ridgecrest Baptist Encampment in North Carolina. During that week, he answered a call of his Lord to surrender his life to Christian service through medicine. He returned as a pre-med student majoring in psychology and minoring in biology and chemistry. He married Gerry on March 29, 1957 and then attended University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, where he later graduated in the top one percent of his medical class. After completing his internship in Corpus Christi, the young Vickers family – now with two boys – moved to Huntsville in the fall of 1961 where Dr. Vickers began full-time family medical practice. The family was complete with the birth of his daughter in 1963. Dr. Vickers was very active in the Huntsville community having served as Huntsville City Councilman and charter member of the Jr. Chamber of Commerce in the early 1970's, Boots & Bows Square Dance Club and enjoying the performing arts at Sam Houston State University. He was a faithful member of Huntsville's First Baptist Church where he served in many roles, including: youth chaperone for numerous youth mission trips, children's Sunday School teacher and as a member of the choir. He led medical teams on joint mission trips with other Huntsville churches providing medical and dental care to villages on the Texas-Mexico border, as well as mission trips with First Baptist Church to Hungary, providing aid to orphans. Dr. Vickers was in private family practice for more than 30 years in Huntsville and was Chief of Staff at Huntsville Memorial Hospital during the 1970s. He had the reputation with his patients, and particularly among medical colleagues, as having an uncanny gift for diagnostics. His genuine love of people and humorous bedside manner made him a beloved family doctor with fiercely loyal patients who loved him in return. In 1993, he suffered an extended medical disability and closed his Huntsville private practice in 1994. After recovery, he resumed family practice for another 15 years in the Houston area. He became semi-retired in 2007, maintaining his licenses for consultation purposes. He was a part-time farmer and rancher and loved hunting and other outdoor leisure. He loved to sing and was an entertaining story teller. He enjoyed spending time with family and was often the center of attention because of his humor. He is survived by his sister, Aubrey Dean Hampton of Austin; sister-in-law Lil Vickers of Houston; brother Dale Vickers and his wife Norma of St. Hedwig; his brother-in-law Bill Franklin and wife Jeannie of Houston; his sons Allen Vickers and wife Marissa from Folsom, CA, Stephen Vickers and wife Stephanie from Houston, TX; his daughter, Lorri Stewart and husband Mike of Huntsville; his grandchildren, Josh Vickers and wife Brie, Justin Vickers, Cody Jones, Karri Jones, Katherine Jones, Shayne Stewart, Josh Stewart, Elijah Higginbotham and Steven Higginbotham; and numerous nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews. Viewing and visitation will be from 6:30 - 8 p.m., Friday, June 21, at Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home, 1700 Normal Park. Services will be held at 4:00 p.m., Saturday, June 22, at First Baptist Church, 1229 Avenue J., with graveside services following at Brooke Cemetery, 672 FM 980. Those wishing to leave memorial condolences for the family may do so at www.shmfh.com

Dr. Frank Vickers

November 27, 1934 - June 22, 2013