Obituary for Vicki Lee Gausepohl Vicki was born on October 26th, 1944 in Cottage Grove, Oregon. She had been valiantly fighting cancer since December, 2016 – twice she had it beat. This third time the Lymphoma came back with such a vengeance.
She passed quickly and peacefully with her husband, Jeff, and only daughter, Jeffra, holding her hands on July 18th, 2018. Vicki grew up in Cottage Grove where she spent hours bowling, fishing and hunting with her Dad. She was a Rainbow Girl, an avid swimmer and a Barrel Racer.
She graduated from Cottage Grove HS in 1962, matriculated to Oregon State University. While at OSU she was active in Greek Life as an officer of Kappa Delta Sorority. Vicki was also a two sport collegiate athlete.
She was a bowler and a trailblazer that rowed crew as part of the first NCAA recognized women’s varsity crew team from 1963-1966. She graduated in 1966 and her first job with the Civil Service was an assignment to the 2nd Division RC2 in South Korea up on the DMZ. There she coordinated all of the recreational activities to keep up the morale of the troops.
In Korea she met her future husband, Jeff. Meeting by chance in an Officer’s Club, their love grew quickly and they married in Oregon in August of 1968. One of their first trips together as a married couple was to Mexico for the 1968 Olympics where Jeff was coaching the Korean National Basketball Team.
After returning from Korea, Vicki continued her successful career. She became the first female Director of Parks and Recreation for Madison TWSHP NJ at the young age of 26. Jeff and Vicki moved to California where Vicki worked for the city of San Jose as a Director of RSVP.
While working full time, she started to pursue an advanced degree and 1975 Jeffra was born. 1976 she earned her Masters Degree from San Jose State. She then decided to pursue her second career as a Mother.
Vicki was a devoted mother and spent many hours in a basketball gym being Jeffra’s biggest fan from 3rd grade through College. The Galloping Gausepohl’s loved to travel. They lived in Seoul, Korea in the 1980’s (where Vicki served as President of the American Women’s Club) and in Shanghai, China in 2005 (where she was a consultant for the Shanghai Aquarium).
Vicki and Jeff traveled the world together, visiting all 7 continents having adventures from the Pyramids of Giza to the Great Wall of China to the steps of Machu Picchu. Amongst all the travel Vicki made life long friends wherever she went. Making and maintaining personal connections was just part of who she was.
Vicki also placed great value on making a positive impact on the world. She was an integral coordinator of 100’s of events for local charities and was a Charter Volunteer with 20 years of service at the Aquarium of the Pacific. She was always so thankful for these friendships and relationships.
Vicki loved to bowl, and would find a league no matter what city she was living in. She expressed her amazing creative side in her beautiful flower arranging and in jewelry design as Shanghai Sally. Vicki was predeceased by her parents, Percy and Marie, and her sister Mae.
She is survived by her husband of 49 years- Jeff, her daughter –Jeffra, her SIL – Ed Leo, and her grandson- Aidan; as well as her siblings Wes and June plus the large extended Malcolm and Gausepohl families. She also lives on her newest adopted family at TMMC 7 West. A Celebration of Life with be held from 4:30 to 8:30 on Monday, July 30th at Green Hills Memorial Chapel, 27501 S. Western Ave.
RPV. In lieu of flowers please consider donating to Torrance Memorial Foundation – Hunt Cancer Institute, 3330 Lomita Blvd. Torrance, CA 90505.
To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Vicki Lee Gausepohl please visit our Sympathy Store. Upcoming Events Memorial Service , JUL 30. 04:30 PM – 08:30 PM Green Hills Mortuary and Memorial Chapel 27501 South Western Avenue Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, US, 90275 Order Flowers for the Memorial Service Guaranteed delivery before Vicki’s Memorial Service begins.
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