Jacqueline J. Vickers

Jacqueline Jones Vickers departed this life on July 6, 2024 at her home in Cambridge, with family and friends at her side. Jackie was born on December 2, 1938 in Cambridge and was the daughter of the late Ogle Zebulon Jones and Roberta Powley Jones.

Jackie graduated from Cambridge High School in 1956 as class valedictorian. In June of that year, she married her high school sweetheart, best friend and the love of her life, Walt Vickers. They were married 64 years until Walt’s passing in 2020. Jackie and Walt had many adventures, travels and were particularly known for their Halloween shows and Christmas caroling parties at their home on Belvedere.

Jackie followed her mother in the cosmetology field and opened Fantasy Beauty Salon in the 1960s. She was well known for pink, purple and other unusual hair colors at a time when it was uncommon. The Fantasy Beauty Salon floats were a spectacle to behold in the Cambridge Christmas parade. It was at Fantasy she met BJ Brown, a life-long friend. Fantasy closed in 1969 when Jackie’s son Judd was born.

In the 1970s, Jackie focused on her young family, as well as inspecting beauty salons part-time and practicing cosmetology at Glasgow Nursing Home. Her time at Glasgow evolved into a role as activities coordinator, beginning her career passion helping the elderly.

Jackie opened Pleasant Day Medical Adult Day Care in 1987, a passion second only to her family. Many families in our community have been served since that time with loving care at Pleasant Day. Many will remember the Senior Celebrations at Sailwinds and the annual Festival of Wreaths that the Pleasant Day team organized. Jackie only recently retired as Executive Director and continued in a part-time role to develop assisted living until just a few weeks before her passing.

Jackie also served as Cambridge First Ward Commissioner from 2012 to 2016. She believed we should all serve our community in as many ways as possible. It’s a challenge to list all her other endeavors and the people she touched.

In addition to Walt and her parents, she is preceded in death by her sister, Olga Jones Tubman and a nephew, Dr. William W. Tubman, Jr. Jackie dearly loved her many aunts and uncles in the Powley and Jones families.

Jackie is survived by her son, Judd Vickers, and his husband Greg Bartoo, also of Cambridge, as well as a niece, Kim Tubman Gynan of Virginia, grandnieces, a grandnephew and many wonderful cousins, friends, and her Pleasant Day family.

While her life was perhaps a bit shorter than she would have preferred, she had no regrets and said she would do it all over again exactly the same way. Jackie and Walt enjoyed a lifetime of love that was evident to anyone that knew them. Jackie passed at home after a brief period of illness. A special thanks to friends Barbara Barnes, BJ Brown, Tina Weber, Kim Brown and Dr. Patricia Johnson that provided so much comfort over these last several weeks.

Family and friends will be welcomed to celebrate Jackie’s life and an announcement will be forthcoming. In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to Pleasant Day Medical Adult Day Care (please list in the memo line of your check if you’d prefer to support the fund to develop assisted living in Cambridge or the Veteran’s Program). Arrangements are in the care of the Thomas Funeral Home, P.A. in Cambridge.