Suzanne Vik

Suzanne Sigourney Leonard Vik passed away peacefully at Presbyterian Manor in Wichita Falls, Texas on Thursday December 19. Sue was born on May 10, 1921 in Worcester, Massachusetts to Andrew Wolcott and Katherine Harrington Sigourney. She is predeceased by husbands Robert E (Bob) Leonard in 1973 and Allan C Vik in 2009 of Gainesville, Texas, as well as sisters Carolyn Sigourney Holtz and Katherine Sigourney Shaver, both of Portland, Oregon. She is survived by her brother and sister-in-law Andrew and Flora Fisher Sigourney of Nahant Massachusetts, daughter Katherine (Kitty) Leonard and spouse Otter Berry of Cazenovia, NY, son and daughter-in-law John A and Eileen Patrick Leonard of Wichita Falls, Texas and son and daughter-in-law R William (Bill) and Tally Haralson Leonard of Coppell Texas as well as much beloved grandchildren Chandler Sigourney Leonard of Arlington, Virginia and Hally and Lauren Leonard of Coppell, Texas and Matthew T Elliott of Lubbock, Texas.
Sue graduated from the Bancroft School in Worcester, Massachusetts and attended Bennington College until World War II commenced at which time she assumed multiple volunteer duties with the Gray Ladies, the Red Cross volunteers. She met her husband, Bob Leonard, on a trip to Gainesville Texas prior to the war, and they were married after his graduation from the US Naval Academy. He served our country as a US Naval officer in the Pacific Theater during WWII. During Bob’s career in the Navy, Sue and he lived in many locations, including California, New York, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Naples, Italy. After his retirement, they moved to Gainesville in 1964 where both were very active in community and church activities. After Bob passed away in 1973, Sue continued her volunteer activities as well as working for Personality Furniture Co. In 1989, she was married to Allan Vik. They were very active in the Texas Native Plant Society and genealogical research which took them on trips to places as far away as New England, Big Bend Country, and the Dakotas.
In all the places Sue lived, she took part in community activities as well as serving her church. In Gainesville, she was instrumental in helping start Cooke County Friends of the Family implementing a 24-hour hotline and transportation to safe houses for victims of domestic abuse. She also was a Hospice of Cooke County volunteer and board member; she taught swimming lessons for the Boys and Girls Club; was involved in the initial development of Gainesville’s Depot Days to raise money for the renovation of the old Santa Fe train depot and active in the League of Women Voters. She also took part in activities of the First Methodist Church as a Sunday school teacher and choir member.
Sue had a gentile manner and treated all people with respect and kindness which was reciprocated by all who truly knew her. Always a lady, she was also known to have a mischievous sense of humor including introducing her children to British comedy such as Monty Python. She had a great love of adventure and travelled widely with her friend Carolyn Patrick to such diverse places as Oklahoma to see elk and wolves, Civil War battlefields, New England in the fall, and the adventure of a lifetime to Australia and New Zealand. Sue loved her friends in Gainesville and their Swimmin’ Women group which met weekly throughout the summer months and continued through the year with social gatherings to enjoy each other’s company. Her faith and her caring for others deeply inspired her family, friends and all who met her including staff at Presbyterian Manor and Hospice of Wichita Falls who became part of her extended family.
Funeral service will be held at the First Methodist Church of Gainesville, Texas at 11 AM on Saturday December 28, 2013 with the Rev. Don Yeager officating under the direction of the Geo. J. Carroll and Son Funeral Home with burial to follow in the Fairview cemetery... A luncheon at the church will follow the service, and all are welcome. A celebration of Sue’s life will be held at Presbyterian Manor after the New Year with date and time to be determined.
The family of Sue Vik would like to express their sincere thanks to the staffs of Presbyterian Manor and of Hospice of Wichita Falls. The superb care and caring that Sue received from the staffs of both of these organizations was beyond compare. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to these organizations, or the Midwestern State University Women’s Basketball team, or the Coppell YMCA Partners Campaign or to a charity or church of one’s choice. You may sign the online registry at geo.jcarroll.com