Vickie Lee Edwards

December 5, 1945 – October 23, 2025

Vickie Lee Edwards was born in Enid, Oklahoma, on December 5, 1945, to Merileen and Elby Boosinger, arriving five minutes after her identical twin sister, Linda Inks. The second of four children, she grew up in Forest Grove, Oregon, where her father served as Senior Pastor at First Christian Church. She graduated as co-valedictorian with her sister from Forest Grove High School in 1964. Vickie attended Butler University in Indiana before returning to Oregon and earning a BS in social sciences from the University of Oregon in 1968.

Vickie and her former spouse, Edwin McFarlane, welcomed four children between 1968 and 1976. A devoted mother and homemaker, she later entered the workforce with Meier & Frank and eventually found her calling with Clackamas County through Volunteer Connection, the Oregon Community Service Commission and as Director of RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program). She connected retired seniors with meaningful opportunities through tutoring, disaster relief, companionship, and nonprofit service.

On November 27, 1993, Vickie married James (Jim) Edwards. Together they built a joyful life filled with deep love and adventure. Their travels took them across the world––from China and Thailand to Switzerland, France, Austria, Australia/New Zealand and more––and on many RV trips throughout the U.S. and the Oregon Coast.

Vickie's beautiful smile, vibrant spirit and infectious humor shone in everything she did. She was gracious, kind, energetic and strong––a woman of faith whose calm presence uplifted those around her.

She called Portland First Christian her church home, where she provided pivotal leadership, including serving as president of the congregation and coordinating general and regional assemblies. Vickie championed support for children and adults with disabilities and served as board chair of the ARC Portland and Northwest Mental Health Management Services. She attended the Presidential Summit of Education during the Obama administration and received the Clackamas Chamber's Women in Leadership and Management Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. In her acceptance speech, she quoted Eleanor Roosevelt: "A woman is like a tea bag––you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water."

Though cancer took her too soon, Vickie leaves a legacy of love, strength, and wisdom. She is survived by her husband, Jim Edwards; siblings, Linda Inks and John Boosinger; children Melissa Maxwell, Michelle Claar, Melanie McFarlane, and Matthew McFarlane; stepchildren Brad Edwards and CaitLinn Perry; eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

A memorial service celebrating Vickie's life will be held on December 13, 2025, at 2 pm at First Christian Church Portland at 1314 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR 97201. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to First Christian Church at https://fccpdx.com/OnlineGiving or to the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute at

https://give.ohsufoundation.org/?pid=tribute&fund_id=KNIDF&src=KNIV26LTR .