Vickie Presnell
Vickie Gilmore Presnell of Raleigh, age 74, passed away peacefully at Transitions Lifecare on Sunday, August 18, 2024. She was preceded in death by her parents, Hugh (Grump) and Dorothy (Mrs. G) Gilmore, sister Anne Gilmore Bradford Knight, and niece Beth Bradford Davis.
Vickie is survived by her loving and devoted husband Larry Presnell, daughter Megan Presnell, son-in-law JD Anderson, and the light of her life, grandchildren Amelia and Jack Finn and her granddog Rocky. As well as by her nieces Karen Petersen Axford, Jennifer Bradford Telles and nephews Tommy Bradford Junior, and Brian Petersen. She is also survived by her great nieces Brawley Davis, Dottie Davis, Eleanor Davis, Berklee Axford, and Kelsee Axford as well as her great nephew Drake Davis.
Vickie attended Meredith College while Larry attended NC State. Larry’s need for a date and Vickie’s need for a ride home to Fayetteville led to a courtship that resulted in marriage in their junior year that lasted 54 years. That is when Vickie’s love for NC State athletics began. She loved all State athletics, but especially football, basketball, baseball and wrestling, having attended a multitude of games.
Vickie’s career began as a secretary at Fort Bragg and progressed to being a Contracting Officer with the Department of the Army in St. Louis, MO and Edgewood, MD and then a Project Officer at the Environmental Protection Agency Office of Air Quality at Research Triangle Park. After her retirement in 2006 she began volunteering with The Flower Shuttle serving as President among other duties.
Vickie loved spending time in Avon on Hatteras Island. She enjoyed sitting on the beach for hours at ramp 38, watching the people at The Point, taking the grandchildren to ramp 49, parking on ramp 55 with a hot cup of soup from Village Red and White on a cold winter’s day while watching the ocean, taking her bicycle to Ocracoke, and walking on the beach everywhere.
All that paled in comparison to the joy she felt playing with her grandchildren Amelia and Jack Finn. When it came time to make the tough decisions about her healthcare, she chose quantity of time rather than quality of life, so that she could spend more time with her grandchildren.
Vickie was an avid bridge player from the time her mother taught her as a young girl until recently. She played regularly with her friends from high school and the two bridge clubs that she belonged to.
Vickie was a true southern lady. She liked everyone and everyone liked her. The nurses in the chemotherapy infusion room looked forward to Vickie’s appointments as they said she brightened up the room. And that is a tough room to brighten.
In accordance with her wishes, there will not be a funeral service but instead there will be a celebration of life in the near future.