Vicki Royston

Vicki S. Royston, 67 of Kingsport went to be with her Lord Wednesday, December 16, 2020, at Johnson City Medical Center after a very brief illness.

Vicki was an individual who loved her family, and enjoyed spending time with them. She has been blessed with a family 0that have followed the same Christian values that she practiced throughout her lifetime.

She loved her horses, dogs, and cats and was an avid advocate for rescue and adoption for all animals, a trait that has been championed by both daughters.

She was a 1973 graduate of Sullins College, Bristol, VA, and earned a Bachelors in Social Work from Union College, Barboursville, KY, in 1975.

She was hired as a caseworker for the TN Department of Human Services and rose to the position of supervisor handling, child abuse and neglect, adult protective services and adoptions.  It was not unusual to find her taking food to a homeless person living under a bridge or all 5’2” of her confronting a 6’5” drunk man in the back woods of Hickory Tree for abusing a child. She was so incensed watching the movie Color Purple that she refused to go on a cruise the next day with some special friends.  She changed her mind.

She left DHS to join Indian Path Hospital (HCA) to set up and supervise the original patient representative program there.

She returned to her heartfelt work by joining Holston Home for Children doing home studies and matching available children both domestic and foreign children with their forever families.  Many families were blessed by her love and devotion.  Both Vicki and her brother Craig were adopted as infants. Due to the onset of MS, her health caused her to retire early from Holston Home for Children. 

Vicki served on many volunteer boards during her lifetime.  She was involved in the formation and served several officer roles including President of Safe House, Inc. the first Battered Women’s Shelter in the area.  She worked with numerous animal shelter boards, children’s advocacy and others.  She volunteered on mission trips to Puerto Rico and Belize as part of the first Tri-Cities Christian School annual trip in 2001 which thru the years has helped build a Christian School, Medical Clinic and several churches while also spreading salvation thru bible schools and mobile medical clinics to remote villages throughout Belize.

Those left to cherish her memories are her husband C. Don Royston who married her and her horse, Doc 47 years ago. Their two daughters Audrey R. Hein and husband Jeremiah, Piney Flats, TN., Rachael E. Edwards and Husband Benjamin, and her brother Craig L. Sipe of Baileyton, TN, her special mother in law Dorothy T Royston (Nannie), Kingsport and 5 wonderful grandchildren, Molly Faith Hein, Malachi Christian Hein, Mattias Abram Hein, Elijah Drake Edwards and Charleston Rae Edwards. 

She was preceded in death by her parents Raymond Gerald Sipe and Inez Virginia Sipe.

She will be missed daily by the family and friends who will cherish her memories.

There will be a family graveside service at Bethesda Cemetery in Morristown, and yes, we will wait until Vicki arrives before we begin.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Bridge Home No Kill Animal Rescue, P.O. Box 654, Blountville, TN 37617 or Kingsport Homeless Ministry, Inc. , PO Box 1125, Kingsport, TN 37662-1125.