• Courtesy Photo
• Vickie McClure

Vicenta “Vickie” Farrales McClure died of natural causes on June 2, 2021.

Vickie was born in 1920 in Zambales, the Philippines, to Pascual and Satera Farrales. As a young girl and woman, she worked on the family farm and as a seamstress in her rural town. During the Japanese invasion in World War II, she and her family persevered through deprivation, bombings and the loss of her brother, Hipolito, who served in the army and died during the Bataan Death March. Despite lacking formal education, Vickie was drawn into service at a local American military hospital and quickly earned recognition for her work caring for injured and dying servicemen.

During this time, she met Robert McClure, an American GI from Burlington, Vt., her future husband and the love of her life. Shortly after the war, they married and welcomed their first and only child, Will. Vickie, Robert and their newborn son arrived in Vermont on Christmas Day after taking a cross-country bus trip. It was in Burlington that the family made a life together.

Vickie earned an income as a dressmaker and seamstress while taking care of her beloved son, and she was fond of tending to her beautiful flower garden, cooking, spending time with her family, and going to bingo with friends and her daughter-in-law, Patricia. She also made good friends through the Methodist Church and among other immigrant women through the Overseas Wives Club. In 1978, Vickie became a U.S. citizen. Later in life, Vickie regularly volunteered at the church bazaar and befriended many fellow residents at Fern Hill in Burlington. Vickie will be remembered as a strong-willed woman with a deep sense of faith who greatly loved her family, made friends easily and loved to laugh.

Vickie is survived by her daughter-in-law, Patricia McClure, of Colchester; her grandson Kristoffer McClure of Colchester and wife Erin McClure; her grandson Ryan McClure of Johnson and wife Serena Vascik McClure; and her great-grandchildren, Colin McClure and Meara McClure. She is predeceased by her parents, Pascual and Satera; brothers Hipolito and Cecilio (Esing); sisters Pitang and Luisa; her husband, Robert McClure; and her son, Will McClure.

The family would like to express their deepest thanks to Priscilla Blais at Fern Hill and to her friend and caretaker, Cindy Irish Leclair, for her incredible, loving support in Vickie’s later years. There will be no public services held, as the family will be holding a private memorial.