Charles Edward Vickers

CHARLES EDWARD VICKERS, age 87, of Dandridge, Tennessee went home to be with Jesus on Sunday, December 8, 2013. He was born on May 19, 1926 in Wheelwright, Kentucky to Charlie and Lula Vickers. Charles was a World War II veteran of the Naval Forces, who served in the South Pacific on the USS Lyman, Destroyer Escort 302 and survived Typhoon Halsey in December of 1944. He watched through binoculars from the deck of his ship as Emperor Hirohito signed the Japanese surrender in the Tokyo harbor. He later received the Presidental Unit Citation Battle Stars awarded to seamen of his ship for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy. The DE 302, now nicknamed "Lucky Lady", endured five such enemy engagements and never lost a man in battle. After service to his country, Charles returned to Knoxville, Tennessee where he met Moncie Salyer, who was in nurses training at old Knoxville General Hospital near his parent’s home. They were married under an apple blossom tree in Flat Gap, Kentucky on June 15, 1953 and she survives. Together they raised their family and owned and operated Vickers Furniture Refinishing Shop for over 30 years in Knoxville and Dandridge, Tennessee. Charles was of the Baptist faith and was a longtime member of the Dandridge VFW post #3380 as a distinguished veteran of a foreign war. He and Moncie enjoyed many USS Lyman Destroyer Escort Reunions and were honored to attend with their family the dedication of the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC in May of 2004. Charles is survived by his wife, Moncie; one daughter, Belinda (Will) West of Dandridge, TN; and three sons, Michael (Sandy) Vickers of Adrian, MI, Brent (Sharon) Vickers and Hubert (Linda) Vickers, both of Dandridge, TN. Charles had 10 grandchildren; Jody (Tina) Layman, Chris (Lia) Layman, Marie Vickers, Micheal (Whitney) Vickers, Noah (Ashley) Vickers, Sally (Caleb) Zhao, Betsy (Charles) Sheffey, Molly (Royle) Langton, Samuel Vickers, and John Vickers. Charles also was a great-papaw to seven great-grandchildren; Hannah, Natalie, Dalton, Slaton, Kennedy, Mason, Jacob, Haley, Matthew and Jase. He is survived by one brother, Hubert (Dorothy) Vickers of Clarksville, TN and one sister, Ailene Thompson of Atlanta, GA, along with many beloved brothers and sisters in law, and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother and three sisters. Services for Charles will be held Tuesday evening, December 10, 2013, 7:00pm at Farrar Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Mike Vickers officiating. Graveside interment service with Military Honors will be Wednesday, 2:00pm at Blue Springs Church of God Cemetery in Strawberry Plains, TN. Pallbearers will be Micheal Vickers, Noah Vickers, Jody Layman, Chris Layman, Samuel Vickers, John Vickers, Will West, Charles Tremblay, Randy Smith, and Gordon Hall.Family will receive friends, Tuesday evening, 5:00 to 7:00pm prior to services at FARRAR FUNERAL HOME, DANDRIDGE 865-397-2711