Obituary
Charles Edwin Vickers was born August 27, 1945 to Harold and Omeda Vickers in Tennessee. His family – including 5 siblings, Lynn, Barbara, Harold, Lee and Tracy – moved around during his childhood finally settling in Orlando, Florida. Charlie attended Colonial High School. Sometimes he worked for his friend’s dad, herding cattle on a ranch. He has many adventurous tales he liked to tell from those days including sleeping in the bunkhouse, fighting large snakes and out-running a cow.
After graduating, Charlie went to community college in Orlando and then Lake City. He received a track scholarship from FSU where he studied advertising and also joined the ROTC program. He enjoyed running for FSU on the track and cross-country teams, and continued to follow them afterwards.
He met his future wife through a friend who was in the Flying High Circus with her. When he graduated FSU in 1968 he started his Army days. He and Stephanie were married on November 16, 1968 and were stationed in Hawaii where he commanded a map-making unit. When they moved back to Florida in 1971, Charlie took a job as an apprentice real estate appraiser with the FL Department of Transportation.
In 1977 he welcomed his son Charles Eric Vickers into the world. The family moved to Altamonte Springs and in 1978 Christa Vickers was born. Charlie enjoyed playing local basketball and running regularly with his friends for many years. He later worked for the Office of Thrift Supervision for a number of years, eventually retraining as a Bank Examiner. He was well loved by his coworkers and retired from OTS in 2009. About retirement he said, “I’m doing a whole lot of nothing and I’m not done with it yet.”
Charles was very proud of his children and supported them in their education and rejoiced in their accomplishments. Charles and Stephanie often traveled to see friends, relatives and sights. He was overjoyed in 2008 and again in 2010 to welcome his two grandchildren, Lilly and Emily Forsyth. He and Stephanie often went over to Australia to visit Christa, her husband Stuart and the grandkids.
Those that had the pleasure of knowing Charles knew him to be one that cared and provided for others. He was always willing to lend a hand. He could often be found doing yard work while whistling a tune. He made a point to tell his loved ones that he loved and cared for them. He often said ‘How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time’ and ‘I’m slow, but I’m steady’. He lived his life not in a rush, but making time for friends, family and neighbors. Charles E. Vickers we will miss you.
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