Vicki Ellen Lawrence MacDougall died January 21, 2024. Vicki was born on August 21, 1952 in
Oklahoma City to Clyde Wesley Lawrence and Mary Ellen Shields. Her growing up years were
defined by rich familial relationships. She spent much of her childhood playing with her brothers
and cousins, going to her brothers’ sporting events, and laughing with family. From a young age, she loved those around her deeply. Vicki was pushed into adulthood harshly as her brother, Clyde, was tragically killed serving his country in the Vietnam War the week of her high schoolgraduation where she was graduating as salutatorian. Her life as well as the lives of her parents
and her brother, Tommy Lee Lawrence, were never the same after that moment. However,
instead of closing herself off to people, she cherished those around her even more. After a griefridden four years at the University of Oklahoma, Vicki went to law school at Oklahoma City
University (OCU). She graduated number one in her class and after a year of being a clerk for a
local judge she was promptly offered a job as a professor at OCU. Although Vicki was 5’9, in the
early days of her career Vicki wore high heels each day to demand the attention of her students.
Vicki accomplished that goal and was known as a professor worthy of respect. Being so young
when she first started teaching, it was no small accomplishment for her to gain the respect of
the students. During her career at OCU, Vicki wrote numerous publications and multiple books.
She also led the Law Review and the health law program. Vicki’s career at OCU continued until
the day she died as she was actively teaching two courses at the time of her death. Shortly into
her career at OCU, Vicki had her two greatest joys in life: her daughters, Katie and Emily. While
continuing to teach a rigorous course load, Vicki was an exceptional single mom. She managed
to be homeroom mom for both of the girls most years, go on countless field trips, and drop them
off/pick them up from school each day. There was never a play, sporting event, or concert Vicki
didn’t proudly attend for her girls. She remained close to her daughters throughout her life and
enjoyed nothing more than spending time with them. She was the proudest mom and was
thrilled to add her son-in-law, Garrett, to her family last year. Vicki had so much love to give that
she took in multiple bonus children. All of Katie and Emily’s friends felt a special sense of
belonging at Vicki’s house, but Amy Newcomb and Natalie Green were especially like daughters
to her. She also rescued countless dogs and cats. In addition to work and raising children, Vicki
enjoyed gardening, reading, and crocheting. Vicki experienced more hardship and loss in her
life than most could imagine. She lost both of her parents and brothers before she was fifty
years old, had a massive heart attack ten years prior to her death, and used supplemental
oxygen for the last five years of her life. Despite these obstacles, she successfully enjoyed the
entirety of her life. She was known for her contagious laugh, which sounded a lot like a cackle,
and her piercing blue eyes that were filled with compassion and joy. She was the life of every
party and enjoyed a good prank. She also never lost faith in God and enjoyed studying the
Bible. She was a lifelong learner. Vicki was preceded in death by her brothers, parents,
numerous cousins, aunts, uncles, and friends. The grief of her brothers and parents was
especially profound the entirety of her life, but that did not keep her from enjoying friends and
family every day of her life. Vicki is survived by her children Katherine (Katie) Erin MacDougall,
Emily Dyan Matlock, and Garrett Lee Matlock. She is also survived by her aunt Martha Ann
Oliver, sisters-in-law Jenny Lawrence Diaz and Kathryn Jenson White, cousins Noneta Hopkins,
Linda Rickner, James Hopkins, Monica Murray, Irwin William Tucker II, Dee Tucker, Kelly
Tucker, Michelle Montgomery, and Lacy Willoughby. She is also deeply missed by numerous
lifelong friends including Paula Johnson, colleagues including Daniel Morgan, and pets Milo and
Major Munchie.
A funeral service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, January 26 at 3:00 p.m. at
Cherokee Hills Baptist Church. Services will be held under the direction of Buchanan Funeral
Services in Oklahoma City and a visitation will be held from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 25 at their facilities.
