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Willie Jo (Williams) Vickers, 74, passed away Wednesday, December 22, 1999 due to Alzheimers Disease. She is survived by her husband of 43 years, Harold"Vic" Vickers of Albuquerque; her sisters, Bettie Bianchi, Lou Perry, Pauline Norin, and Bonnie Caglia; her brother, Samuel and Eugene Williams, all of California. Mrs. Vickers was born June 6, 1925 in Graham, OK to Verdia I. and Samuel E. Williams. From Oklahoma, she and her family moved to Reedly, CA and later to Fresno, CA. Following High School, she relocated to Oakland, CA where she continued her formal education. Upon graduation, she was employed in a Certified Public Accounting Firm. She soon became interested in the Diplomatic Corps, and in 1955, was accepted in the U.S. Department of State's Foreign Service and was assigned to the American Embassy in Ankara, Turkey. Here she met and married"Vic", also a member of the Foreign Service. (Willie JO always felt that she was thoroughly married. On one Saturday, she was married by a Turkish official and the next Saturday by a U.S. Military Chaplain.) For the next 35 years, she and Vic served as Diplomatic husband and wife team, working in 11 countries, (Italy, Turkey, Lebanon, The Sudan, India, China, Cuba, Guinea, Austria, Tunisia and Argentina) as well as the State Department in Washington, D.C. Throughout her career, she studied the language of her country of assignment. She loved the Foreign Service and served it will, but often at a personal risk. Her assignments carried her around the world in a profession that was always fascinating, but at times difficult. For example, in 1957 while going through a tiny Turkish village, her car was severely stoned when she inadvertently failed to wear a headscarf. In Omdurman, Sudan, in the 1950's a gang of Communists surrounded, rocked and attempted to overturn her car until she was able to reverse and speed away. In Conakry, Guinea and Havana, Cuba, for four years, Willie Jo, along with her husband, were placed under virtual house arrest and while assigned to Havana, the Cuban Government, angered by U.S. policy, cordoned off the American offices with an estimated million Cubans. For 48 hours, she was isolated within the building and continuously threatened with physical violence. There were better moments however. When U.S and China re-established full diplomatic relations, she and Vic where assigned to reopen the mission. One of her proudest days was when they had the dual honor of raising the American Flag over the new American Embassy in Peking. At her request, there will be no formal funeral service. Cremation has taken place and memorial services will be announced at a later date. Should friends desire, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimers Association, 1330 San Pedro NE, Suite 205, 87110. Goodnight, Sweetheart, wait for me. French Mortuary, 7121 Wyoming Blvd. NE. 1-2-3 Vic
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