Charles 'Mac' Albert McVicker Obituary (1924

Charles 'Mac' McVicker passed away peacefully at his home on January 12, 2015 in Silverdale, Washington with his daughter at his bedside. Mac was born May 29, 1924 to Charles 'Chuck' McVicker and Hazel Primrose Quash McVicker at Port Blakely on Bainbridge Island. As a youth his father introduced him to fishing and he became a voracious reader with a love for the high seas. He was an avid member of the high school Sea Scouts. Upon graduation he enlisted in the Coast Guard, serving from 1942 to 1947. He served a few years with the Army Transport Service before working as an A.B. Seaman aboard various west coast steam vessels with the U.S. Coast Guard from 1951 to 1970. During the early 50's when not shipping he started his successful career as a commercial fisherman. He gillnetted and trolled the waters of Southeastern Alaska in the F/V Hope, F/V Capon, F/V Kibitzer and the F/V Grayhound for 32 consecutive years. He also crewed for the newly operating Alaska Ferries. Mac loved sharing wild tales of his youthful Alaskan adventures. After he retired from fishing Mac fell in love with flying and eventually settled at Apex Airpark, Silverdale where he lived and thrived among fellow pilots and airplane mechanics. Not one to sit on his hands, he could be found working on his airplane project in his hangar or helping another pilots with their airplane projects. He and his longtime companion, Nancy Gustafson, loved spending their winters in Arizona roaming the desert. He frequently mentioned, after her passing on January 12, 2014, "she was the best part of my life". Mac was predeceased by his brother John McVicker and leaves at port his sons Michael McVicker of Maine, Rhonda McVicker of Silverdale, Mike Sofoulis of Auke Bay, Alaska and Ross Halsted of Tacoma, four grandchildren, two great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren as well as his sister-in-law, two nephews and a great nephew. A final goodbye is being planned for this summer at Apex Airport in remembrance of Mac where his family, friends and neighbors can share in the retelling of stories from his very colorful life over a keg of beer. The ashes of Charles 'Mac' McVicker will be long lined over hood canal on his final flight aboard the Taylor Craft he fondly called 'The Miss Nancy'.