Malcolm McVickar

Malcolm McVickar A long-time resident of Marin County, died on October 10, 2009. Born on December 23, 1915 to Henry and Anzonella McVickar of Tuxedo, New York and Edgartown (Martha's Vineyard), Massachusetts, he was a precocious child who was editor of the town newspaper at 12 years old and learned fluent Swedish from his beloved governess in a summer. Mr. McVickar attended and graduated from St. Mark's School, Harvard and Columbia Universities and served in the United States Navy during World War II, where he was a lieutenant commander of the minesweeper YMS-461 in the Pacific theater. As an executive in the paper industry, and later as a commercial real estate broker and green energy pioneer, his professional accomplishments were numerous. He and his first wife, Mardie, an East Coast Republican party activist, lived in Fitchburg, Massachusetts and had four children, Malcolm Jr., Morgan, Marcy, and Douglas. When widowed, he married Marion Bullard of Kentfield and became the enthusiastic stepfather to Jed, Lizzie, Essie, and Brian. The McVickars resided in Kentfield and St. Helena. During an illness as a child, he learned to paint from his mother, an accomplished artist. This began a lifelong love of art, particularly watercolor. His paintings earned him critical and financial success and now number in the hundreds; his shows have been featured throughout Marin, Sonoma, and Napa counties. He was a past president of the Marin Arts Council and was a dedicated watercolor teacher after his own career was ended by a stroke in 2000. Known by all as a true Renaissance man, his other passions included Shakespeare, poetry of all kinds, rowing, and sailing. He was a member of the St. Francis Yacht Club and St. John's Episcopal Church in Ross. Mr. McVickar is survived by his brother Henry, his children, Malcolm Jr. of Marin, Morgan and Donna McVickar of Houston, Marcy and Scott Madden of Woodland Hills, Douglas and Nancy McVickar of Tiburon, and four grandchildren, Aynsley, Kane, Rosemary, and Sophie. He is also survived by his stepchildren, Jed and Sherri Bullard of Lexington, Kentucky, Liz and Ed Degner of Springfield, Oregon, Esther Sanborn of Irvine, and Brian Bullard of Fairfax. In addition, he is survived by his six step-grandchildren, Wells and Ward Bullard, John and Peter Degner, and Zachary and David Sanborn and three step-great grandchildren, Jack Bullard, Gracie Bullard and Isabelle Malia Sanborn.