James Vickery - Obituary

*** A funeral service has been scheduled for Mr. Vickery on Thursday, August 9, 2012 at 1pm, at Ft. Myer Chapel, 204 Lee Avenue, Fort Myer VA 22211. Inurnment will follow in Arlington National Cemetery with Full Military Honors ******* Jim was born in White Plains, New York on August 9, 1933, the youngest child of James Cutler Vickery and Jeannie Vickery (nee Sontag) of Evansville, Indiana. As the last scion of the Vickery family, Jim and his two elder sisters Marcia (deceased) and Anne enjoyed a happy childhood sharing time in Scarsdale NY, Washington DC, and at the family summer home in Dennis, MA where he regularly attended the Monomoy/Cape Cod Sea Camps acquiring his life-long love for the water and all things nautical. After graduating high school in Scarsdale, Jim attended Princeton University (Class of 1955) where he received a degree in Economics and completed Naval ROTC training on his way to a commission as a Reserve Officer in the United States Navy. He served honorably in Port Lyautey, Morocco, and in Quonset, Rhode Island before separating from active service a Lieutenant on June 30, 1959. On June 12, 1956, Jim married Anne McCoy in a small service at Grace Church in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY. Afterwards the couple honeymooned at the family home in Dennis, before embarking on active duty status in Morocco. Their eldest son, William, was born in ‘57 while on overseas assignment. Their only daughter, Katherine, was born in ‘58 while the couple completed active service in Rhode Island. The youngest son, James III, was born in ‘61 after the couple had separated from active service and relocated to Western New York. Not long after settling in New York state, Jim began to pursue a career in broadcasting - first as an on-air radio personality for WOTT in Watertown, NY and then as television news anchor for WNBF in Binghamton, NY. Soon, however, Jim took his “silver-tongued” talents to the sales side of the industry becoming an Account Executive for WNBF. His 30+ years in advertising sales saw him back to Buffalo, NY in the employ of WGR-TV2 for over twenty years and then as General Sales Manager for WYTV-33 in Youngstown, OH. Jim retired in 1998 after which he and Anne relocated to Annapolis. Jim twice served as Chief Barker for the Buffalo, NY “Tent 7” Chapter of the Variety Club, a philanthropic organization dedicated to children. Ever the master at sea, he enjoyed years of boating with family and friends on the Great Lakes, the canals of New York and Canada, and, most recently, the Chesapeake Bay. In retirement, he had taken up the hobby of model railroading as a regular member of the Severna Park Model Railroad Club. Jim loved golf, and was serving on the Heritage Harbour Golf Club committee at the time of his passing, and his affable presence will be missed at the poker table where he often competed. Jim is survived by his wife, his three children, two daughters-in-law, six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Jim’s remains are to be interred at Arlington National Cemetery as soon as arrangements can be made. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made in James’ honor to the American Lung Association, TeaminTraining.org, or a charitable organization of your choice.