Vicki Velasquez

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Mr. & Mrs. Gabriel Velasquez married in 1983

Remembering VICKI

Vicki Leigh Marshall was born February 7, 1946, to Devon Edmund Marshall and June Rose Jackson Marshall in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was sister to Kathy, Patra, and Marlin. Vicki Velasquez was a Daughter, Sister, Mother, Wife, Grandmother, Aunt, Cousin and Friend.  

Vicki is survived by her husband of 31 years Gabriel Velasquez, her children Melanie, Kimberly, and Michael, her stepchildren David and Lisa, her grandchildren Derek, Alec, Jolee, Raymond, Colton, Riley, Josh, and Tristan, her sisters Kathy, Patra, and Marlin, many more family members, and cities full of friends.

Many of the Big Bear Valley friends became acquainted with the Gabe and Vicki Velasquez team; when we met at the Big Bear City Fire Department and enrolled in the first Community Emergency Response Team training; that soon organized as the Big Bear Valley CERT. Other CERT classes formed and increased the membership to several hundred. The recruiting and encouragement was definitely teamwork because of the good leadership from teammates like Gabe and Vicki.

Many of us bonded with the couple, and soon an extended family. It was always a privilege to be in Vicki’s presence of enthusiasm and positiveness. Those of us that were touched by Vicki Velasquez, feel privileged to call her ‘Our Friend’. 

By Yomar and Bob Cleary

Bob & I met Vicki and Gabe at a CERT training back in 1998.  We immediately became friends and soon created a bond.  This bond was extended to three other couples which Vicki and Gabe called the Wild Bunch.  Vicki would coordinate monthly birthday parties for the Wild Bunch.  So that we could celebrate each other’s birthdays at Maggio’s or at each other’s homes.  These gatherings of the Wild Bunch, became less and less, when Vicki was not there to coordinate because she was fighting cancer.  It was not the same, without Vicki and Gabe at the birthday parties.  The Wild Bunch even took a trip to Laughlin, where we had a fantastic time; this was before Vicki became ill.  The room would light up when Vicki walked in with her smile and laughter.  I write this with a tears rolling down my cheeks.  She will be dearly missed by many of us here in Big Bear Valley.

By Corinne Flores Big Bear Lake Fire Department 

OMG!  She was so young.  We have to make every moment count! Gabe and Vicki were always together. The many times, here at the Fire Department, at Stater Bros. or out in the community, the two were inseparatable.

By Barbara Beuch

I have known Vicki and Gabe for twenty-three years. I valued her beautiful friendship, dearly. When I had a few hard times, she was always there for me, to hold my hand. We had good laughs and some tears together. When I was laid-up with a broken ankle, Vicki invited our family to join her entire family for Christmas dinner.

There were the camping trips, barbeques, summer nights on Vicki’s patio, sharing recipes, cups of sugar or sticks of butter and many conversations between us close neighbors, I’ll always miss My Friend Vicki.    

By Dixie and John Madden

At the very first CERT training at Big Bear City Fire department, John and I were gifted a blessing, Gabe and Vicki Velasquez! As Gabe would eloquently lead the meetings, there was Vicki always gathering the troops and making sure everyone was fed and comfortable..... That is who Vicki is and will remain so in our hearts and minds.   

We loved listening to her stories about her life in Ely, Nevada, as well as her life as a Mother, Grandmother, Sheriff, and wife. No matter the story, Vicki made us laugh as we toasted the night away with a glass or two of red wine! She tried her best to teach me (Dixie) the art of gambling, but alas, I would just feed money into the machine and end up broke while Vicki's machine whistled away with winnings. 
Vicki’s beautiful soul will be missed by all she touched and John and I are forever grateful that we were two people she touched with her vibrant spirit.

By E T Russell

Whatever the task before her, she gave 100%!  

I was one of the teammates that met Vicki and Gabe sitting in class in the bay of the fire department. Immediately, I felt that I’d been adopted and my extended family lived down the street. There is so much I learned about my friend but cannot list everything. Vicki was so beautiful and so smart.

During in the nine years we had, Vicki and I shared so much about our lives, children, philosophy and life itself many times with a glass (or two) of Merlot or a salad at Maggio’s. Vicki’s joy and laughter was contagious!

One of the first visits to their home, I met her two grandsons, Riley, and Tristan whom she cared for while their mother, Kim was at work at Mountain Munchies. She was Grandmother also to: Derek, Alec, Jolee, Raymond, Colton and Josh.

Vicki so loved her children, Melanie Anne, Kimberly Michelle, and Michael Anthony, including her second family with Gabe’s son David Michael, and daughter Lisa Michelle.  

The Velasquez’ were members of Elks B.P.O.E. The Women’s Auxiliary of the American Legion Post #584, was very important to Vicki and had great friendships with the ladies. Vicki participated in many community events, especially those that benefited special needs.

The Velasquez home was a beautiful house on Fox Farm that everyone passing by admired the beautiful manicured lawn and flowers. Vicki was a fantastic cook, loved crocheting, a green-thumb gardener – the Ideal Homemaker! Both Gabe and Vicki enjoyed having a comfortable life-style and being active in the community of wonderful friends.  

She set me up with scanners and information about working with emergency responses that assisted me in news reporting. I recall the many incidents we worked with, the CERT team and the importance of being of service to our community in time of emergency crisis. This past year, while recovering from an accident, I’ve wrapped up in the beautiful afghan Vicki made for me, while recalling the good times we had shared. Today, I just learned something new about my Friend. Recently, I took Vicki my favorite flowers (the Texan that I am), Yellow Roses. When talking with Kim, I learned Yellow Roses were also Vicki’s favorite.  

When they moved to Apple Valley, so that Gabe’s health would improve, I really missed them. You can imagine the phone calls, we shared. My Special Friend will always be in my heart!

Vicki Leigh Velasquez left this world while her husband, Gabe and family were at her bedside on Wednesday January 14, 2015.    

Vicki’s Family will have the Big Bear Lake ‘Celebration of Vicki’s Life’ for the family and friends, on her birthday, Saturday February 7^th.  

The 'WILD BUNCH' Dixie and John Madden, Gabe and Vicki Velasquez, Bob and Yomar Cleary, the Madden's,  Ken and Judith McMurphy, Dave and Sharon Jones  ​