The Rev. Dr. Eugene Robbins McVicker, retired Lutheran minister, Professor Emeritus and founder of the Department of Religion at Gallaudet University, went home to his Lord on November 1, 2008, in Hanover, from complications of Alzheimer's. He was 84.
Born in Watsontown, in 1924, he was the youngest son of Ada and William McVicker, parents who were both deaf.
Eugene grew up using sign language to communicate at home and with his deaf relatives. He graduated from Watsontown High School in 1942, and enlisted in the United States Navy, where he served as a Radioman 2-C during World War II. He was stationed at Imperial Beach, CA, and later transferred to Muirkirk Radio Station, in Laurel, MD, where he met Mildred Louise Cook, of Washington, DC.
Rev. Dr. McVicker and Mildred were married in 1948, whereupon he resumed his studies, graduating from Gettysburg College in 1950 and from the Gettysburg Lutheran Theological Seminary in 1953. He pursued his dream of working in ministry to the deaf. In 1954 he completed a master's degree in special education from Columbia University, and a teaching certification from the Lexington School for the Deaf. He completed a Master of Philosophy in 1972 and a Doctorate of Philosophy in 1979 from George Washington University.
In 1959, Eugene accepted an invitation to institute a Department of Religion at Gallaudet College, in Washington, D.C., where he served as chair of the Department of Religion for 30 years, during which time he taught religious history and comparative religions, served as chaplain, instituted religious activities on campus, and provided pastoral counseling, using simultaneous communication, a combination of American Sign Language and spoken English.
He served pastorates at First Lutheran Church, in Altoona, St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thurmont, MD, St. Mark Lutheran Church, in Sabillasville, MD, Keller Memorial Lutheran Church and Saint Mark's and the Incarnation Lutheran Church in Washington, DC, and Holy Comforter Lutheran Church in Baltimore.
Throughout his life, Eugene maintained leadership roles in developing special ministries to the deaf both in the Central Pennsylvania Synod and in the Maryland Synod of the Lutheran Church. He served on various committees within the Lutheran Church at the local and synodical level, including various advisory committees on ministry to the deaf, taught classes in the Old and New Testament at various churches and colleges, and instructed sign language classes. He has published various meditations and articles, and has traveled extensively visiting sites relating to early church history.
Following his retirement from Gallaudet College, Eugene actively pursued his life-long interest in the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln, working as a Gettysburg Battlefield Guide for the National Park Service, offering tours in both spoken English and American Sign Language.
In addition to his wife, Mildred Cook McVicker, he is survived by three children, Marilyn McVicker and her companion Ellen Kinnear, of Bakersville, NC, Marcia McVicker Stubbs and husband Edward, of New Orleans, LA, and David Eugene McVicker and wife Rhona, of Mt. Airy, MD; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by one brother, Robert McVicker, and one sister, Stella Rocky.
Interment was in Watsontown Cemetery.
Born in Watsontown, in 1924, he was the youngest son of Ada and William McVicker, parents who were both deaf.
Eugene grew up using sign language to communicate at home and with his deaf relatives. He graduated from Watsontown High School in 1942, and enlisted in the United States Navy, where he served as a Radioman 2-C during World War II. He was stationed at Imperial Beach, CA, and later transferred to Muirkirk Radio Station, in Laurel, MD, where he met Mildred Louise Cook, of Washington, DC.
Rev. Dr. McVicker and Mildred were married in 1948, whereupon he resumed his studies, graduating from Gettysburg College in 1950 and from the Gettysburg Lutheran Theological Seminary in 1953. He pursued his dream of working in ministry to the deaf. In 1954 he completed a master's degree in special education from Columbia University, and a teaching certification from the Lexington School for the Deaf. He completed a Master of Philosophy in 1972 and a Doctorate of Philosophy in 1979 from George Washington University.
In 1959, Eugene accepted an invitation to institute a Department of Religion at Gallaudet College, in Washington, D.C., where he served as chair of the Department of Religion for 30 years, during which time he taught religious history and comparative religions, served as chaplain, instituted religious activities on campus, and provided pastoral counseling, using simultaneous communication, a combination of American Sign Language and spoken English.
He served pastorates at First Lutheran Church, in Altoona, St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thurmont, MD, St. Mark Lutheran Church, in Sabillasville, MD, Keller Memorial Lutheran Church and Saint Mark's and the Incarnation Lutheran Church in Washington, DC, and Holy Comforter Lutheran Church in Baltimore.
Throughout his life, Eugene maintained leadership roles in developing special ministries to the deaf both in the Central Pennsylvania Synod and in the Maryland Synod of the Lutheran Church. He served on various committees within the Lutheran Church at the local and synodical level, including various advisory committees on ministry to the deaf, taught classes in the Old and New Testament at various churches and colleges, and instructed sign language classes. He has published various meditations and articles, and has traveled extensively visiting sites relating to early church history.
Following his retirement from Gallaudet College, Eugene actively pursued his life-long interest in the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln, working as a Gettysburg Battlefield Guide for the National Park Service, offering tours in both spoken English and American Sign Language.
In addition to his wife, Mildred Cook McVicker, he is survived by three children, Marilyn McVicker and her companion Ellen Kinnear, of Bakersville, NC, Marcia McVicker Stubbs and husband Edward, of New Orleans, LA, and David Eugene McVicker and wife Rhona, of Mt. Airy, MD; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by one brother, Robert McVicker, and one sister, Stella Rocky.
Interment was in Watsontown Cemetery.
The Rev. Dr. Eugene Robbins McVicker, retired Lutheran minister, Professor Emeritus and founder of the Department of Religion at Gallaudet University, went home to his Lord on November 1, 2008, in Hanover, from complications of Alzheimer's. He was 84.
Born in Watsontown, in 1924, he was the youngest son of Ada and William McVicker, parents who were both deaf.
Eugene grew up using sign language to communicate at home and with his deaf relatives. He graduated from Watsontown High School in 1942, and enlisted in the United States Navy, where he served as a Radioman 2-C during World War II. He was stationed at Imperial Beach, CA, and later transferred to Muirkirk Radio Station, in Laurel, MD, where he met Mildred Louise Cook, of Washington, DC.
Rev. Dr. McVicker and Mildred were married in 1948, whereupon he resumed his studies, graduating from Gettysburg College in 1950 and from the Gettysburg Lutheran Theological Seminary in 1953. He pursued his dream of working in ministry to the deaf. In 1954 he completed a master's degree in special education from Columbia University, and a teaching certification from the Lexington School for the Deaf. He completed a Master of Philosophy in 1972 and a Doctorate of Philosophy in 1979 from George Washington University.
In 1959, Eugene accepted an invitation to institute a Department of Religion at Gallaudet College, in Washington, D.C., where he served as chair of the Department of Religion for 30 years, during which time he taught religious history and comparative religions, served as chaplain, instituted religious activities on campus, and provided pastoral counseling, using simultaneous communication, a combination of American Sign Language and spoken English.
He served pastorates at First Lutheran Church, in Altoona, St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thurmont, MD, St. Mark Lutheran Church, in Sabillasville, MD, Keller Memorial Lutheran Church and Saint Mark's and the Incarnation Lutheran Church in Washington, DC, and Holy Comforter Lutheran Church in Baltimore.
Throughout his life, Eugene maintained leadership roles in developing special ministries to the deaf both in the Central Pennsylvania Synod and in the Maryland Synod of the Lutheran Church. He served on various committees within the Lutheran Church at the local and synodical level, including various advisory committees on ministry to the deaf, taught classes in the Old and New Testament at various churches and colleges, and instructed sign language classes. He has published various meditations and articles, and has traveled extensively visiting sites relating to early church history.
Following his retirement from Gallaudet College, Eugene actively pursued his life-long interest in the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln, working as a Gettysburg Battlefield Guide for the National Park Service, offering tours in both spoken English and American Sign Language.
In addition to his wife, Mildred Cook McVicker, he is survived by three children, Marilyn McVicker and her companion Ellen Kinnear, of Bakersville, NC, Marcia McVicker Stubbs and husband Edward, of New Orleans, LA, and David Eugene McVicker and wife Rhona, of Mt. Airy, MD; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by one brother, Robert McVicker, and one sister, Stella Rocky.
Interment was in Watsontown Cemetery.
Born in Watsontown, in 1924, he was the youngest son of Ada and William McVicker, parents who were both deaf.
Eugene grew up using sign language to communicate at home and with his deaf relatives. He graduated from Watsontown High School in 1942, and enlisted in the United States Navy, where he served as a Radioman 2-C during World War II. He was stationed at Imperial Beach, CA, and later transferred to Muirkirk Radio Station, in Laurel, MD, where he met Mildred Louise Cook, of Washington, DC.
Rev. Dr. McVicker and Mildred were married in 1948, whereupon he resumed his studies, graduating from Gettysburg College in 1950 and from the Gettysburg Lutheran Theological Seminary in 1953. He pursued his dream of working in ministry to the deaf. In 1954 he completed a master's degree in special education from Columbia University, and a teaching certification from the Lexington School for the Deaf. He completed a Master of Philosophy in 1972 and a Doctorate of Philosophy in 1979 from George Washington University.
In 1959, Eugene accepted an invitation to institute a Department of Religion at Gallaudet College, in Washington, D.C., where he served as chair of the Department of Religion for 30 years, during which time he taught religious history and comparative religions, served as chaplain, instituted religious activities on campus, and provided pastoral counseling, using simultaneous communication, a combination of American Sign Language and spoken English.
He served pastorates at First Lutheran Church, in Altoona, St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thurmont, MD, St. Mark Lutheran Church, in Sabillasville, MD, Keller Memorial Lutheran Church and Saint Mark's and the Incarnation Lutheran Church in Washington, DC, and Holy Comforter Lutheran Church in Baltimore.
Throughout his life, Eugene maintained leadership roles in developing special ministries to the deaf both in the Central Pennsylvania Synod and in the Maryland Synod of the Lutheran Church. He served on various committees within the Lutheran Church at the local and synodical level, including various advisory committees on ministry to the deaf, taught classes in the Old and New Testament at various churches and colleges, and instructed sign language classes. He has published various meditations and articles, and has traveled extensively visiting sites relating to early church history.
Following his retirement from Gallaudet College, Eugene actively pursued his life-long interest in the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln, working as a Gettysburg Battlefield Guide for the National Park Service, offering tours in both spoken English and American Sign Language.
In addition to his wife, Mildred Cook McVicker, he is survived by three children, Marilyn McVicker and her companion Ellen Kinnear, of Bakersville, NC, Marcia McVicker Stubbs and husband Edward, of New Orleans, LA, and David Eugene McVicker and wife Rhona, of Mt. Airy, MD; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by one brother, Robert McVicker, and one sister, Stella Rocky.
Interment was in Watsontown Cemetery.
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