We are sad to announce the passing of Vickie Lynn Ward of Hood River. She died at age 71 on February 16, 2023, after a long battle with Alzheimer's.

Vickie was preceded in death by her parents, Clovis Harrison Bowlds, Elsie Lynn Bowlds, and her sister, Billie Walton.

Surviving family members include brother, Harrison Bowlds (Nancy Bowlds), loving partner, Jerry Petricko, daughters, Sheila Beardsley (Mark Beardsley), Cathie Ward, grandchildren, Alexis Ward, Dylan Castilla. Great-grandchild, Blake Lynn. Brother-in-law, Bob Walton. In addition, many nieces, nephews, and extended family, mostly reside in the Hood River Valley.

Vickie was born on December 28, 1951, in Hood River, OR. She lived in Hood River her entire life with a couple of short stints in Alaska for the love of family, only to return to the place she was most connected, Hood River to be with family and friends. Vickie was an entrepreneur, owning businesses for more than 20 years since the 1970s in groceries, shoes with accessories, as well as video and electronic stores in Odell and Hood River.

Vickie loved her community and volunteered with a heart and soul for the places she especially loved. Starting as a mother who volunteered within her daughters’ schools, a Brownie leader in elementary and moving through the grade levels, volunteering, and driving daughters and their friends to and from events. Vickie was a member of the Odell Garden Club, she shared her love for this organization with multiple generations, including her grandchildren; Odell Garden Club was important to her, and sharing her love for flowers as well as the members of the Odell Garden Club were held in highest regards. Vickie was a long-standing board member for our county fair and enjoyed the year-round work and planning along with the annual Hood River County Fair. Vickie also enjoyed working with her classmates planning more than class reunions, to celebrate on a regular basis because the class of 1970 enjoys hanging out with each other and folding in other graduating classes as the years go on.

Vickie enjoyed traveling with Jerry. They traveled several times to Maui and she enjoyed the tropical flowers and warm days of the Hawaiian islands. Vickie also enjoyed traveling to Alaska to visit with her daughter Sheila and son-in-law Mark Beardsley. They drove the extent of the roads on Kodiak Island while they were there. Vickie and Jerry enjoyed almost weekly road trips in Oregon and Washington and staying in refurbished hotels.

If you would like to pay your respects, you are welcome to attend the celebration of life service we are holding in Vickie’s honor at the Wy’East Community Church of Odell officiated by Pastor Douglas Massingill. Flowers provided and arranged by Annie Simonds. In lieu of flowers please donate to the Odell Garden Club.

Celebration of Life is at 1:00 PM on Saturday, March 11, 2023, Wy’East Community Church (3422 Odell Highway, Odell, OR 97044). Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson's Tribute Center • 1401 Belmont Avenue, Hood River, Oregon 97031.  Visit www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com to leave a note of condolence for the family.