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Victor R. Bickel, a longtime, active member of the community, died on March 22, 2004, at the age of 77. He was a former FEMA emergency preparedness Coordinator and Director of Environmental Health for the City of Albuquerque. Vic was born in Lowell, Wisconsin, on May 30, 1926. He served in the Navy during World War II as a Pharmacist's Mate on the U.S.S. Vestal (AR4) assigned to duty in the South Pacific and up the Yangtze River to Shanghai, China. After serving his country for two years, he attended the University of Wisconsin graduating with a B.X. in Botany and Plant Physiology. It was during this time that he met and married his wife of 38 years, Lorraine E. Morgan, who predeceased him in 1988. Vic continued his education at the University of California Berkeley School of Public Health graduating with a Master's Degree in 1959 and working in this field for the next 30 years. He moved to Albuquerque with his family in 1968 where he was hired as Director of Environmental Health. In the early 1970's he was an active member of Keep New Mexico Beautiful, Inc., a non profit recycling organization, and was President from 1973-1975. In 1980 Mr. Bickel became the FEMA Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for Albuquerque-Bernalillo County. There he planned community disaster frills and he continued his focus on public safety. He retired from this position in 1985. Over the years Vic enjoyed many interests, including politics, woodworking, and gardening. During the past year while residing at Sunrise Assisted Living he was President of Resident council and acted as Internal Quality Assurance Coordinator for Dining Services. He led a weekly current events discussion group, and was an active member in Library Club and Christian Sharing. Vic also enjoyed being a Grandparent for First Graders at Double Eagle Elementary School, where the children read to him each Monday, and he read to them. This was his favorite role in his final months. Linda M. Ellis's poem, "The Dash," reminds us that the dates on a tombstone do not matter. What is important is the dash between those years - the accomplishments in a lifetime. This is something that Victor R. Bickel understood and did very well. Vic will be greatly missed by his family, friends, the residents and staff at Sunrise, and the students at Double Eagle. He is survived by a daughter, Sandi, his brother, David, a nephew and a niece. His cremains will be buried in the Reeseville Cemetery in Reeseville, Wisconsin. Donations in his memory can be made to the Double Eagle Library, 8901 Lowell Drive, Albuquerque, NM 87122 or to the Humane Society. Vic made the most of the "dash between those years." French Mortuary 1111 University Blvd. NE 843-6333
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