Raymond Wilbur McVicker

Raymond Wilbur McVicker, age 92, died Sunday, March 22, 2009, at Moore-Few Care Center in Nevada, from complications of old age. He was born in Rich Hill, Bates County, Mo., and was the first of two sons born to James Elmer and Elizabeth Barbara Kamm McVicker. When he was a teenager his family moved to Vernon County where he lived the rest of his life. He was a World War II veteran, having served in the European theatre, including the campaigns in Northern Africa and Italy. Upon his return home, he married Elenora Magdalene Abele on April 26, 1946, in a double wedding with her brother and his bride, Calvin Carl Abele and Wanda Faye Smith Abele. The two couples farmed east of Nevada in the Dederick area until the early 1960s when Raymond and Elenora bought a farm and moved south of Deerfield in western Vernon County. Here they ran a dairy for many years.

Survivors include his three children: Ardis Legleiter and her husband Belvin, Nevada, Wiley McVicker and his wife Maryellen of Boonville, Mo., and Karen Brockmeyer and her husband Brent of Jefferson City, Mo.; nine grandchildren, Rodney Legleiter and his wife Sally, Kanawha, Iowa, Leon Legleiter and his wife Mendy, Durham, N.C., Alicia Legleiter Neil and her husband Brett, Marshfield, Mo., Travis Legleiter, Centralia, Mo., Laura McVicker Wax and her husband David, Boonville, Mo., Todd McVicker, Centralia, Mo., Jared Brockmeyer and his wife Sara, Fenton, Mo., Kellen Brockmeyer and his wife Mani, Springfield, Mo., and Landon Brockmeyer, Jefferson City, Mo.; six great-grandchildren, Kara and Logan Legleiter, Kanawha, Iowa, Riley Legleiter, Durham, N.C., and Natalie, Corbin and Mason Neil, Marshfield, Mo. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Wanda F. Abele, Nevada; four nieces and three nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, two sisters-in-law, two brothers-in-law, one nephew, two great-grandchildren, and his only sibling, James Leroy McVicker.

Raymond Wilbur McVicker was a charter member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, of Nevada. He was a good carpenter and he devoted many hours to the maintenance and care of the actual church building during the formative years of the congregation. He also donated time and effort to the Vernon County Fair where he worked on many of the buildings when his own children were in 4-H. In later years, he joined the local V.F.W. chapter until his health deteriorated.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., on Thursday morning, March 26, at the St. Paul Lutheran Church, Nevada, with a military service following and burial in the family plot in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery at Dederick, Mo., with pastor Kim Osborn officiating. Friends may call now and until the hour of service and the family receives friends from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., on Thursday at St. Paul Lutheran Church.

Those who wish may contribute in his memory to the St. Paul Lutheran Church.

View obituary and send condolences online at www.ferryfuneralhome.com.