Vickie Powell passed away peacefully on November 5. Vickie was born and raised in Detroit, and lived in Santa Cruz area since 1984. She met Jim Murray in 1984; they married, and their daughter Alexandra “Aly” was born in 1985. Jim Murray passed on July 19, 2013.
She served with the Peace Corps in Nicaragua and Colombia in the 1970s, and was active on many environmental and political issues. She was especially proud of her central role in stopping the Wingspread development and preserving the Porter-Sesnon property that is now part of New Brighton State Beach. For her work on this, the California Sierra Club presented her with their Environmentalist of Year Award. Among her many other accomplishments are: the establishment of the laser tattoo removal program at Dominican Hospital; the installation of solar panels at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital; and managing or working on several successful political campaigns. Vickie worked as an independent business consultant and started several businesses herself.
She is survived by her daughter Aly Mills, son-in-law Seth Mills, daughter Cathy Harper, son-in-law Michael Harper, granddaughter Ann Land, and many friends in Santa Cruz County and elsewhere.
A memorial service will be held at the Corralitos Grange on Saturday February 1, 2014 at 1 pm. Contact [email protected]. In lieu of flowers, send donations to the Ventana Chapter of the Sierra Club, ventana.sierraclub.org.