Eugene McVicker

Eugene Clark McVicker was born to Floyd W. and Margaret J. McVicker on December 23, 1938.  Over the years he lived in a lot of places while growing up.  One of his favorite places during grade school time was Englewood, Kansas.  His family moved to Protection, Kansas where he attended Protection High School.  He was proud to be a Panther.  He always had stories to tell about his time at PHS. Half through his senior year he took his GED so he could graduate early and joined the Navy.
In the Navy he got to travel to many places like Japan, Guam, Hawaii, and Vietnam.  He trained to be a radar operator.  He was very proud to be serving his country and being a good radarman.  After his first hitch he got out of the Navy, coming back to Ashland, Kansas where he worked at odd jobs and made his home.  It was during this time that he met and married Nina (Diemer) McVicker on December 26, 1964.
He decided that he should volunteer to serve his country during the Vietnam War so he volunteered to re-enlist in the Navy.  This is when he was exposed to Agent Orange which made him very sick over time.  In 1967 he finished his second hitch and became a dad.
Once back home in Ashland, Kansas he began working at the Chevrolet Garage.  In 1970 his daughter Brenda was born during a major blizzard in March.  It was about that same time that he decided to go in to the Army Reserve.
In 1975 he started working for Northern Natural Gas Company which then turned into ENRON.  He started out at the bottom and worked his way up by taking classes and inventing things to help NNG be more productive.  He even got awards for some of his inventions.  When he retired he was the area Supervisor.
He has always loved sports.  He seemed to have a natural ability.  He played in HS, in the Navy on his ship, and hometown ball.  He played on some very talented teams.  He loved to play football, baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball, shooting sports, hunting, and race car building and driving.  He also loved to watch the weekly games on the TV.
He was known for being a great mechanic.  He even won some awards from GM. Later in life he became a business owner.  He co-owned with Nina.  The Red Hill 66 and Red Hills Motel in Ashland, Kansas.  He also brought a little ranch south of town which he called his little place on the prairie.
He was a ember of NACE(National Association of Corrosion Engineers), Kiwanis, Ashland Volunteer Fire Department, Life member VFW, Life member Ashland Gun Club, and a night marshal for the Clark County Sheriff Department.
Eugene went to be with his heavenly father on November 15, 2020 at the age of 82 years.
Eugene is survivors include wife Nina McVicker of the home; daughters, Janit McVicker, Brenda Ketron (John); grandson, David Ketron, all of Ashland and many friends.