Douglas Linwood McVicker

Douglas (Doug) Linwood McVicker

 Douglas (Doug) L. McVicker passed away on November 23, 2024 with his beloved family nearby. Doug was born on September 23, 1932, to Woodrow D. McVicker and Naomi Haller McVicker in Clemtown, West Virginia. Doug’s great-great Grandfather, John I. McVicker, emigrated from Ireland during the potato famine and found his way to Clemtown, West Virginia. John established a thriving farm, raising sheep and harvesting vegetables, fruit, and nuts from the many trees on his homestead. Soon, the village grew to include two grocery stores, a school, and a church before the advent of paved highways in West Virginia. Years later, Doug spent many happy years growing up in the still thriving village, attending his first year of school in the two-room schoolhouse.

Doug graduated from Philippi High School, Philippi, West Virginia, in 1950. He graduated with a BS at Fairmont State College in 1954, focusing on Industrial Arts and Social Studies. He entered the Air Force and was selected to take the testing for Air Cadet Training. He made one of the highest scores recorded at the time on that test. Unfortunately, it was discovered that Doug’s eyesight in one eye was not 20/20, and this prevented his participation in the Air Cadet Training. He was then trained in gas generating and selected for a highly classified research balloon project. He served in this capacity at Holloman AFB in Alamogordo, New Mexico, and Goodfellow AFB in San Angelo, Texas.

Doug married his high school sweetheart, Kathleen Scott, on June 30, 1956, at the historic Crim Memorial Methodist Church in Philippi, West Virginia. The couple left West Virginia and traveled west to Alamogordo, New Mexico, where Doug was stationed at Holloman AFB with the classified high-altitude Balloon Research Unit.

After his Air Force service ended in 1958, Doug and Kathleen moved to Albuquerque, NM, where he enrolled in the Education Administration Program in the College of Education at the University of New Mexico. He completed this training in 1959 and began his educational career at Albuquerque High School, teaching Industrial Arts and Drafting.

Doug continued his studies at UNM in Counseling and was selected as a school counselor at Harrison Junior High School. In 1969, Doug was chosen as the Vice Principal at Van Buren Junior High School. In 1970, he was named the principal at Jefferson Junior High School. During his tenure at Jefferson, all Junior High Schools became Middle Schools. He served at Jefferson until 1980 when he was chosen to be the principal at Kennedy Middle School. Doug felt his years as a teacher, counselor, Vice Principal, and Principal were rewarding and gave him many pleasant memories and long-standing friendships.

Doug retired from Albuquerque Public Schools in 1988 and soon became a candidate for the APS School Board. His fellow board members elected him and soon voted for him as President. While a member of the board, Doug worked tirelessly to improve teacher pay and innovative programs and curriculum to enhance the student learning experience.

Doug is survived by his wife, Kathleen, and son, Keith of Albuquerque, NM, and his daughter, Melissa, and grandson, Timothy Hai of Mountain View, CA. Please feel free to sign our online guest book for the family at the French Funerals website. No services are planned at this time.

In place of flowers, please give in Doug’s name to the University of New Mexico Presidential Scholarship Fund, any UNM College of Education scholarship to support aspiring teachers, or to the charity of your choice.