Vickie Colette McGlocklin Arnold, 68, passed away on October 30, 2022.
Born in Athens, AL, she was raised in the little tight-knit community of Coxey, surrounded by a slew of cousins and many friends who were close enough to be considered family. She attended Mt. Carmel Church of Christ. She graduated from Clements High School on May 25, 1972. She loved school, where she excelled academically. She loved her teachers and friends and, not surprisingly, was voted “Chatterbox” for her Who’s Who Senior Class.
After high school, Vickie moved to Fort Bragg, NC. Later on, she lived throughout north Alabama including Boaz, Guntersville, Athens, Decatur, and the Shoals. In the late 1990’s she and her family moved to the Birmingham area, where she lived the remainder of her life.
Vickie went back to school in her 50’s and achieved her dream of becoming a nurse when she graduated from Lawson State. She had a passion for caring for hospice patients and special needs children. She truly made a difference in the lives of her patients and would go above and beyond to provide exceptional care for them. She made sure her hospice patients spent their final days being comfortable, while their families were at peace knowing their loved ones were truly cared for. She poured into her special needs pediatric patients, engaging in them, encouraging them, and ensuring they always knew they were loved. Vickie loved to read. She was an avid reader and absorbed books like a sponge. She loved crossword puzzles. Her favorite television game show was Jeopardy and she knew the answer to every question before the contestants had time to hit the buzzer. She loved to watch old Western television shows, including Gunsmoke and Bonanza. Vickie was a lover of animals, especially her two dogs Missy and Jack. She had several pet birds (parrots, cockatiels, and more) over the years and especially loved sitting on her porch and watching the hummingbirds. She considered them to be her little friends. She loved to go on road trips and her favorite area to visit was out West. Santa Fe, New Mexico was her most beloved city. She loved to cook and her cornbread dressing was second to none. She loved coffee. She drank coffee in her baby bottle and continued drinking it for the next 68 years. Vickie loved and cherished her friends. She remained a “chatterbox” throughout her entire life. Her friends remember her not only as being talkative, warm and kind, but also as being hilarious. She loved making people laugh and smile.
Of all the things she loved, no love was greater than that she had for her family. Her husband, children, and grandchildren were her greatest pride and joy. Vickie was known as “Mom” by her children, “Mimi” by her grandchildren and “Vic” by her husband. She cherished her family time. She was married to the love of her life for over 38 years. She was so very proud of her children and grandchildren and loved to show them off. She adored her baby brother Steve, often talking to him on the phone and looking forward to his visits. Vickie grew up with many cousins and she dearly loved them all and would reminisce about her childhood where she was surrounded by them.
Vickie is preceded in death by her mother Jean McGrew Sanderson of Athens, AL, and her father James Ingraham McGlocklin of Athens, AL. She is survived by her husband David Arnold, her son Eric Dodd (Rachel) of Milton, GA, her daughter Sara Dodd Franks (Terry) of Moody, AL, and her son Samuel David Arnold (Jane) of San Francisco, CA. She is also survived by her brother Steve McGlocklin (Nicia) of Madison, AL and her grandchildren Lainey and Maddie Franks, Amber and Donovan Brooks, and Avren and Liam Dodd.
A Memorial service for Vickie will be Saturday, November 12, 2022 at McConnell Funeral Home
1200 East Forrest Street
Athens, AL 35613 at 3:00pm with visitation preceding at 2:00pm. She will privately be laid to rest in her family’s cemetery (Dement Cemetery) in Athens, AL
