All who knew Vicki Kessie would agree that she was truly beautiful on the inside and out. She was gracious, genuine, and compassionate – the sort of person who was willing to do whatever she could for others. Although Vicki had a great sense of humor, she also didn’t shy away from calling things as she saw them when she felt strongly about something. Blessed to spend her sunset years with the love of her life, she cherished sharing her interests, her passions, and her days with her beloved husband. Vicki was also a devoted mother who just may have argued that her roles as a grandmother and great-grandmother were her greatest blessing. Life will never be the same without her here, but her timeless legacy will be proudly carried on by those who follow in her footsteps.

It seems only fitting that Vicki’s journey began during a time that was as vibrant as she was. It was the 1950’s when televisions were becoming part of our homes, James Dean made it big on the silver screen, and Elvis was king. This was also the time that Rosa Parks sparked the advancement of civil rights when she refused to give up her seat on an Alabama bus, and by the end of the decade the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union was underway. It was just as this decade was dawning that Hobert S. and Helen V. (Myers) Hileman were eagerly anticipating the birth of their new baby as the autumn season began to wane in Canton, Ohio, in 1951. Their wait was over on Nov. 1 when the baby girl they named Victoria J. made her grand entrance. She was one of 11 children, joined in her family by her brothers, William, Robert, Dennis, Rocco, Richard, Rodney, and Tim, and her sisters, Nancy, Marilyn, and Joan.

In many ways, Vicki was a young girl of her generation. Because she lived in town, she enjoyed things like hanging out with her friends, reading, playing ball in the streets, and going dancing on the weekends. Vicki attended local schools including Tinken High School. In addition to holding down her studies, she worked as an assistant at a local dental office. After graduating from high school in 1970, Vicki married and moved to the Warsaw area where she had two children.

While in Warsaw she worked in the shipping and receiving department for the Dalton Corporation, retiring in 2011. She spent 36 years there as a dedicated and hard worker while also raising her two children as a single mother. As a family, they enjoyed going on vacation and traveling back to Ohio to visit their family in Canton. They also took trips to Cedar Point Amusement Park and up to Niagara Falls.

It was while at work that Vicki met the man of her dreams. His name was Phil Kessie, and he wooed her by bringing a Hershey’s kiss to her while she was working in her “cage” as she called it. Eventually, they began seeing each other outside of work and fell deeply in love. With a desire to spend the rest their lives together, they were married on May 29, 1999, in the living room of Phil’s parents’ farmhouse in Columbia City. Phil brought so much joy to Vicki, and she loved him dearly as well. In addition, he treated Vicki’s daughter, Samantha, as his own. Vicki and Phil built a house on the backside of his parents’ farm, and in 2000 after the death of his father, Vicki and Phil made sure that Barb could continue to live on the farm, helping her out in whatever way they could.

There was never anything that was more near and dear to Vicki’s heart than her family. She and her daughter watched Days of Our Lives together and also made daily trips to Walmart. Later in life Vicki was thrilled to become a grandmother, and she savored every moment she had to spend with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren to whom she was known as G-G-Ma. Within the past few weeks Vicki was thrilled to visit some of her great-grandchildren in Virginia. Over the years she had built an extensive collection of angel figurines, and it was so special that while in Virginia she gave each of her four great-grandchildren an angel from this collection. It has also been said that Vicki’s baking skills were unmatched as she was famous for her cookies. In fact, she made 20 dozen to take with her on her trip to Virginia, and just this past Saturday, she made some for a friend. In addition to being missed for her cookies, Vicki will also be missed for her chicken and dumplings, beef and noodles, and cream cheese icing that she used to decorate her cakes.

After moving from Canton to the Warsaw area, Vicki came to know many people as she was social and outgoing. In 1995, she moved to Whitley County. She attended Columbia City United Methodist Church and also volunteered with a hospice group and coordinated blood drives to keep busy. Vicki loved springtime since she knew it would soon be time to start planting in her garden as she loved flowers. She also enjoyed hummingbirds, and since she kept their sugar water full it was not uncommon to see up to 40 of them buzzing around her property while sitting on the porch. Vicki also loved playing ball with her three dogs, Lulu, Izzy, and Sully.

Kindhearted, loving, and selfless, Victoria Kessie was a blessing to everyone she met. She was never one to worry about what she had, rather, she was all about what she could give. A more loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother would be hard to find, and Vicki’s best moments were the ones she shared with her friends and loved ones. She and her daughter had a special bond as they talked every day and also sent one another goodnight messages. Vicki will be deeply missed but never forgotten by all who were blessed to know and love her.

Victoria J. Kessie, 63, of Columbia City, died on Sunday, Aug. 23, 2015, at her home.

Vicki’s family includes her daughter: Samantha (Rick) Sloan, Columbia City; brothers: Richard (Mono) Hileman; Rodney (Karen) Hileman; and Tim (Betty) Hileman, all of Canton, Ohio; sisters: Marilyn F. Cole; and Joan A. Williams, both of Canton, Ohio; mother-in-law: Barbara Kessie, Columbia City; ten grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; two stepchildren; and her three dogs: Lulu; Izzy; and Sully. Vicki was preceded in death by her parents; husband: Phillip Kessie, 2013; son: William Showe; brothers: William; Robert; Dennis; and Rocco Hileman; and sister: Nancy Bailey.

Visitation will be from 2-4 p.m. and from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, at DeMoney-Grimes Funeral Home, Columbia City. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 28, at the funeral home. Memorial gifts may be given in her memory to Parkview Whitley Home Health Care and Hospice or the Humane Society of Whitley County.