Claude Alexander Vicars, 95, of the Greater Washington-Baltimore area died peacefully May 29 of natural causes. He was most recently a resident of the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington, D.C. He was predeceased by his wife, Jeanetta Vicars in 1986; his daughter, Helen Johnson Epps; and his son, Arthur Vicars.
Born on St. Croix, USVI, Feb. 18, 1915, Claude was the son of Dudley and Eliza Vicars. After leaving school, Claude departed his native Virgin Islands to sail the high seas, serving in the Merchant Marines and later the United States Navy where he retired after 20 years of service. He lived and worked in Norwalk, Connecticut, as a shoemaker and later worked as a security officer at Fort Hollabird, Baltimore, Md., and as a harbor master of St. Croix. He also earned his station engineering certificate.
Claude is survived by daughters: Pauline Edith Canton and Ann Thomas; sons: Cyprian, Claude Jr. and Carl Vicars: son-in-law, Edwin Thomas: and daughter-in-law, Leonora Vicars. He is also survived by grandchildren: RADM Denise Canton-Blyden, Dinah Canton-Johnson, Douglas Jr., Danny and Devin Canton, Laurie Thomas-Jacobs, Sandra, Diedre, Vanessa, Edwin Jr. and Henry Thomas, Joyce N’Diaye, Doreen Abdleahim, Wanda, Tracy, Nathaniel, Wayne and Ronald Johnson, Carol Vicars-Goff, Michele Vicars-Means, Laura, Kendra, Robert, Arthur Jr., Gregory, Ronald, Richard and Barbara Vicars, Delma Francis and Lechelle Durante-Quetel; great-grandchildren: Darrenn, Danny II, Derek, Dexter, Dominic, Davian, Diara and Damari Canton, Dakarai Johnson, Aisha and Oshane Thomas, Safiya, Jordan, Asia and Israel Peterson, Hidayah Williams, Rodolfo II, Chantelle, Edwin, Quianna-Marie, d’Neicia, déJonique and D’André Jacobs, Dale II and Diarra Williams, Devanté Petersen, Akeel and Khalid Austin, Sy and Elijah Rivera, Austin and Justin Goff, Andrew, Sydni, Seth and Erin Means, Cedric, Waleed, Yasmeen and Elijah Curry, Ivan, Travon and Synceir Malone, Jamaili Curry-Rubino, Ethan and Richard Rubino, Danya Steele, Tariq Gibbons, Latisha Jones, Octavia Ruballo, Kamali Jackson, Yvonne, Ronnie, Natalie and Nicholas Johnson, Kayla, Timothy, Sade, Nia, Shaya, Nyoki, Yazmin, Ronald Jr., Rachael, Rose and Ryan Vicars, and Amari and Adari Hector.
A memorial service is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Friday, June 18 at National Wesleyan Church in Hyattsville, Md. Burial and military honors will be held at 11 am at Baltimore National Cemetery, Maryland.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Disabled Veterans of America in memory of Claude A. Vicars, online at DAV.org or mailed to DAV, PO Box 14301, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45240. Arrangements are by Robert G. Mason Funeral Home, Washington, D.C., (202-678-7700).
