A lifetime of nursing takes someone that can always see the positive, truly believes in the value of each individual life, and works tirelessly to create safe environments for their patients. No one emulated these ideals better than Vickie Jean Carlsen who sadly passed away on September 25th.
Born December 10th, 1956 in Hawthorne, California to Walter E. Carlsen and Claudette J. Weikal; Vickie was quickly introduced to an always active lifestyle as she shared a home with her parents while being the 2nd eldest of 6 siblings. As an adult, Vickie found her passion as a Registered Nurse and over the next 43 years showed that passion in the areas of labor & delivery, neonatal intensive care, mental health and substance abuse recovery, and public health. In 2003 she started a new journey with her loving husband which – in a truly Vickie style – took place on a family adventure with them and their three children in Gretna Green in Scotland dressed in traditional Scottish garb.
And as anyone that knew Vickie could tell you, she was 67, but based on her adventures you’d have guessed she was both 20 and 100, for she had experiences that could easily span multiple lifetimes and she approached each adventure with a youthful exuberance. On her 40th birthday, she celebrated by skydiving. On her 60th, she climbed Mt Everest. And in between she climbed and summited Mt. Kilimanjaro and Patagonia, bungee jumped 111 meters in Zimbabwe, scuba-dived, and ran countless marathons “just for fun.” And when she wasn’t on a grand adventure she found joy in the simple pleasures of gardening, spending time with her loyal dogs Bella and Ozzy, and tending to her ever growing flock of chickens.
Vickie’s loss is felt not only by her loving family and friends, but also by the multitude of military families she helped while working as a Nurse Home Visitor for Fort Liberty’s New Parent Support Program. With the support of her amazing team, she was able to flourish and show her beloved military families her kindness, knowledge, and gentleness could only ever be matched by her unwavering work ethic doing what she often called, “the best job ever.”
She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Kerry N. Ross, and her brother, Walter E. Carlsen, Jr. She is survived and sorely missed by her daughter Kristen Tate, and sons Philip (Michelle) Carlsen and Douglas Ross, grandchildren Hope and Max Carlsen, her sister Karen Kasten and children, and brothers David (Ana) Carlsen, and Charles Carlsen, and her closest friend and confidant, Dr. Jennifer Oakley.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the James J. Brearton Memorial scholarship, established to advance the educational opportunities at LaSalle Institute, 174 Williams Road, Troy, NY.
Online condolences www.bolesfuneralhome.com
Services entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.
