James Winford “Vic” Vickers, 77, of Tifton passed away Sunday, February 28, 2016, at Tift Regional Medical Center. His funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 2, 2016, in the Memorial Chapel of Tifton’s First Baptist Church with Dr. Wayne Roe officiating. Vic will be laid to rest at Oak Ridge Cemetery. The family will receive friends Tuesday, March 1, 2016, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Joe Spurlin, Johnny Spurlin, Ken Spurlin, Bobby Bennett, Dwayne Hobbs, Rusty Smith, Charlie Carter and Jamie Spurlin will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be former players of the various teams that Vic coached.
Born July 3, 1938 in Tift County, Vic was the son of the late James Quincy Vickers and Edith Hendry Vickers. He was also preceded in death by a brother, Charles Howard “C. H.” Vickers; and a sister, Juanita Sims. He retired from the Georgia Department of Transportation and was a bus driver for the Tift County Board of Education. Vic and Jimmy Spurlin initiated the football program at Tiftarea Academy and worked with the women’s tennis and women’s softball programs at ABAC. He also coached numerous ASA softball teams and recreation teams. In 2016, he was inducted into the Tift County Athletic Hall of Fame. He was a veteran and a member of Tifton’s First Baptist Church.
Vic is survived by his wife, Ellen English Vickers of Tifton; and a daughter, Ivey Vickers of Tifton.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Tift County Athletic Hall of Fame, P. O. Box 7566, Tifton, GA 31793.