Vicki Louise Thompson

1979 - 2023

Vicki Louise Thompson was born March 25, 1979, and died September 6, 2023 at the age of 44 in Sunnyvale, Calif., at home. She will remain forever in the hearts of those who loved her. She will be remembered as an award-winning photographer and photojournalist, metastatic breast cancer survivor, and total feminist. She took up interests that empowered her throughout her life, including ballet dancing at age 32, art, and jewelry making. She loved life to its fullest and never gave up her fight against cancer. Before and after being diagnosed with cancer, she traveled the world, near and far, capturing famous and everyday people, documenting stories and the outdoors through her camera lens, and challenging herself through adventures, with organizations including First Descents. Those who knew her best would describe her as feisty and fun, a force to be reckoned with, a fashionista, thrill seeker, Trump hater, baby snuggler, PokemonGo addict, and nature lover, who believed in giving back and spending time with those close to her. Her laughter, energy, and passion were radiant, contagious, and constant. Vicki was born in Portland, Ore. and lived through the Mount St. Helens eruption of 1980 and recalled her family's house being covered in ash. She was raised in Concord, Calif., is a graduate of Concord High School and San Jose State University, with a degree in photojournalism and minor in sociology, and was a lifelong learner. At the age of 10, she received her grandfather's camera as a gift from her father for Christmas, and it launched not only a career but a natural born talent. She was a regular, weekly volunteer for the RotaCare, mainstage photographer for San Francisco's Pride, and a writer for advanced breast cancer at Health Union. She worked for decades at the Silicon Valley Community Newspapers and Silicon Valley Business Journal, where many of her coworkers were her family and support system. She dedicated her professional craft to capturing innovation, individual and business success stories, top executives, and breaking news, both online and in print. Her legacy lives on in the images she leaves behind. She is survived by her sister-in-law Desiree Thompson and children Brittney, Rebekah, Ashley, and Elizabeth, as well as her brother Chris Thompson, sister-in-law Lisa Thompson, their children Brandon and Shelby Thompson, her parents Sharon and Cecil Thompson and extended family. She was preceded in death by her brother Darby Thompson and his son David. She passed away under the love and care of her partner Alton Lee and canine companion Buckley. She will be fondly missed by her best friend Brendon Peters.Vicki's Celebration of Life will be held Oct. 8 in Sunnyvale; please reach out to close friends/family for more details. In lieu of flowers, though daisies were her favorite, Vicki asked donations to be made in her name to Planned Parenthood and Bay Area Young Survivors (BAYS) Cancer.