Vickie Wilson

Vickie Joy Wilson

February 6, 1957 – September 24, 2026

Vickie Joy Wilson was born in Helena, Montana, on February 6, 1957, to Gladys and Woodruff “Buck” Wilson. She was raised on the family farm in the Helena Valley, beneath the wide Montana sky and surrounded by the sights, sounds, and rhythms of farm life and as a young girl she raised farm animals through 4-H. She grew up in a close, loving family with lots of uncles, aunts, and cousins close by who enjoyed many picnics and barbecues together.

Vickie was a student of Helena Capital High School’s first graduating class in 1975. Vickie treasured bearing witness to events like the total eclipse of the sun as seen from the outskirts of Helena in February, 1979.

Vickie went on to earn her nursing degree from Carroll College in 1979, beginning a remarkable career devoted to caring for others. Nursing was more than a profession to Vickie; it was a calling that matched the very core of who she was. She brought compassion, steadiness, humor, courage, and genuine warmth to every person she encountered.

Montana was not simply where Vickie lived. It was woven into her spirit. She carried its strength, openness, independence, and warmth wherever she went. She loved the outdoors with her whole heart - gardening, camping, hiking, rafting, skiing, traveling, listening to music, and gathering with family and friends around a table, a campfire, or beneath an endless sky. She understood that the best parts of life were often found in simple places, shared with the people who mattered most.

After settling in Missoula, Vickie married Kevin McCarthy In 1982, and over the next six years they welcomed their three children; Kalli, Joe, and Grady, to the world. She often worked night shifts so she could be present for her children during the day for games, school activities, holidays, birthdays, and the countless small moments that become the most treasured memories. She worked hard to provide for her family, but she never allowed her work to overshadow what mattered most. Her children were her pride, her joy, and one of the greatest loves of her life.

Vickie spent nearly four decades as a labor and delivery nurse at Community Medical Center, helping welcome thousands of babies into the world. Her greatest gift was her empathetic heart and the way she brought comfort, strength, and compassion to families during life’s most vulnerable moments. She had a rare ability to make people feel safe, seen, and cared for.

To her patients, Vickie was a trusted, compassionate presence; to her colleagues, a respected nurse and loyal friend whose humor and warmth brought people together. The friendships she built through nursing became lifelong bonds filled with laughter, exciting trips, birthday lunches and parties, book club, shared hardships, and lots of love.

Vickie’s laugh was unmistakable; full, joyful, contagious, and impossible to ignore. It could brighten a room and draw people together. She had a gift for finding humor even in difficult moments and for creating joy wherever she went.

Vickie met her life partner Brad McMannis in 2009, Vickie and Brad built a wonderful life together as companions, best friends, parents, and grandparents. Together they enjoyed camping at Georgetown Lake and throughout the Seeley-Swan Valley, attending Griz football games and tailgate parties, listening to music and attending local concerts along the Blackfoot River, and adventuring past Montana to the Arizona desert, and the Sea of Cortez. She embraced life with curiosity and enthusiasm, always ready for the next adventure, the next song, the next gathering, or the next beautiful sunset.

Vickie found another profound source of happiness in being a grandmother. She adored Colten, Cash, Catherine, Rebel, Sam, and Finn and treasured every moment she shared with them. She embraced the role of Grandma with the same devotion, humor, patience, and wholehearted love she had given to every part of her life.

Vickie also knew tremendous heartbreak. She endured the loss of her beloved sister, Kathy; her son, Joe; and her grandson, Cash. These losses changed her forever and left wounds that never fully disappeared. Yet even through unimaginable grief, Vickie continued to live with love, compassion, and empathy in everything she did.

That was one of the extraordinary things about her; sorrow never erased her capacity for joy, and hardship never took away her tenderness. She carried both grief and gratitude, both heartbreak and hope. Her life showed that a person can be deeply wounded and still remain deeply loving.

Vickie died suddenly on September 24th, 2026 at the age of 69. Her passing was unexpected and heartbreaking.

Vickie is survived by her partner, Brad McMannis; daughter Kalli (Jeremy); son Grady (Rachel); grandchildren Colten, Catherine, and Rebel Hyde, and Sam and Finn McCarthy; nephews Donny, Brian, and Aaron; and many beloved cousins, friends, former colleagues, and extended family members.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Gladys and Buck Wilson; her sister, Kathy; her son, Joe; and her grandson, Cash.

Vickie spent her life caring for others and helping bring new life into the world. Her legacy lives on in the lives she touched, the people she comforted, the friendships she treasured, the family she loved, and the countless hearts that will forever carry a piece of her.

May she rest beneath the Montana sky she loved so deeply, reunited with those she lost too soon and surrounded by the love she gave so freely.

Join us for a Celebration of life on

Thursday, October 22, 2026 from 3-7 pm

2106 Hilda Avenue

Missoula, MT 59801

We kindly ask that guests wear colors other than black as we honor her memory with the love, happiness, and light she shared with those around her. This is an outside event, please dress for the weather.

RSVP to Kalli at (406)544-0031

In lieu of flowers, an account has been established in Kalli McCarthy's name at Clear Water Credit Union to help cover expenses.