Vickie Atwood Ziglar

YADKINVILLE - With hearts full of love and deep sorrow, we share the peaceful passing of Mrs. Vickie Atwood Ziglar, age 76, of Lone Hickory Road, who was called home on May 29, 2025 while surrounded by her devoted family in the comfort of her home.

Born on May 20, 1949, in Rockingham County, Vickie was the cherished daughter of the late Leonard Nathan Atwood, Sr. and Martha Louise Ledbetter Atwood. From a young age, Vickie’s gentle spirit, compassionate heart, and quiet strength shone brightly—gifts that she shared generously throughout her life with everyone she encountered.

Vickie dedicated numerous years of her professional life to the intricate art of medical transcription. She embarked on her career at the esteemed University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill within its prestigious Nursing School, subsequently collaborating with Dr. Robert Headley, the distinguished Department Head of Cardiology, as his principal medical secretary at the Wake Forest Bowman Gray School of Medicine. Her most cherished role materialized during her tenure at Hoots Memorial Hospital, where she worked in concert with her husband of over 55 years, who served as her supervisor. Together, they constituted an extraordinary team. There, her meticulous attention to detail and compassionate disposition significantly enhanced the healing endeavors of others. However, her most profound calling was not confined to the confines of a desk or an office; it resided in her unwavering devotion to her family and her deeply ingrained faith.

A devoted and active member of the Friedland Moravian Church in Winston-Salem, Vickie was baptized by Rev. Allen Barnes in 1982 and remained profoundly engaged in the life of the congregation. Whether serving on the Women’s Fellowship Circle, tending to the hallowed grounds of God’s Acre, or simply embodying a steadfast presence in the pews, Vickie’s faith served as her anchor, and her service constituted a quiet yet compelling testimony to the life she led.

Vickie possessed a heart that reveled in the exquisite delights of life’s simpler pleasures—immersing herself in a captivating novel, meticulously cross-stitching intricate designs, perusing her cherished boutiques, or leisurely strolling along the shores of her beloved Oak Island, North Carolina. She exhibited an exceptional flair for decor, transforming spaces into sanctuaries suffused with warmth and hospitality. Yet, nothing bestowed upon her greater elation than the moments spent in the company of her cherished husband, daughters, their spouses, grandchildren, and the extended family and friends she held dear. To the Class of ‘67, of her esteemed alma mater, Madison-Mayodan, she carried your love with her to the very end. To her beloved Class of ‘67 Sistas, you all occupied a special place in her heart.

She was preceded in death by her beloved parents and her brother, Leonard Nathan Atwood Jr.; her sister, Amelia Louise “Mimi” Atwood; her cherished granddaughter, Norah Rayne Smitherman; and her sister-in-law, Mary Evelyn Ziglar Blake.

Vickie leaves behind a profound legacy of love, grace, and kindness. She is survived by her husband of 55 years, 6 months, and 15 days, Dr. Jerry Thomas Ziglar, of the home; her daughters, Jennifer (Rodney) Smitherman of East Bend, NC, Nissa (Chris) Talley of Mooresville, NC and Dr. Stephanie Z. Furey of Jacksonville, Florida, along with her cherished grandchildren, Miah Rose Smitherman, Annah Reese Smitherman, Jackson Thomas Talley, and Spencer Blaine Talley.

Also left to honor her memory are her brother, Ricky Lee (Shannon) Atwood; her sister, Mitzi Atwood (Mike) Moore; and her beloved nieces and nephews, Dana Elizabeth Atwood, Joshua Nathan (April) Atwood, Angela S. Cook, Johanna Blake (Jim) Parker, John (Mandy) Blake, and Michael Zachary (Cheyenne) Moore. She will be fondly remembered by her great-nieces and nephews, Austin Case, McKenzie Cook Tuttle, Brie Atwood, Michael Wade Manuel, Elaina Rose Rowe, and Michael Zachary Moore, Jr.; her dearest friend of many years, Staffie Haley Webster; her uncle, Billy Groome; special in-laws, R. Kay Ziglar and Bobby Talmedge Ziglar; as well as numerous cherished cousins and close friends. The family wishes to express its profound appreciation to Jessica Manning for many years of a special shared friendship and to Miss Paige Gryder for her tender care of their mother as she gracefully transitioned to her eternal resting place.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 PM on Monday, June 2 at Gentry Family Funeral Service in Yadkinville. A celebration of Vickie’s life will be held at 1:00 PM June 3, 2025 at Friedland Moravian Church in Winston-Salem, led by Rev. John G. Rights, Rev. John Brown, and Rev. Torrey Easler. Interment will follow in the church cemetery, a place Vickie cherished deeply.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites memorial contributions to be made to the Friedland Moravian Church - Graveyard Capital Improvements (2750 Friedland Church Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27107) or to the Live Like Norah Foundation - Attn: Missions (P.O. Box 55, East Bend, NC 27018), honoring the causes closest to Vickie’s heart.

In remembering Vickie, we celebrate a life well-lived—a woman of quiet strength, deep faith, and boundless love. Her legacy endures in the lives she touched, the family she nurtured, and the faith she lived every day. She would encourage you to “be still and know…”

Gentry Family Funeral Service of Yadkinville is serving the Ziglar family.