Vicki C. Hanley
On Dec. 20, our community was diminished by the loss of Vicki Hanley due to an extended battle with cancer. She is survived by her husband and biggest admirer, Lee.
Truly a unique person, Vicki and Lee moved to Sanibel in 1990. A registered nurse by profession, she often was the only home health nurse available on either island.
She retired from nursing in 2002 when she and Lee bought and ran Pinocchio’s Ice Cream in the Seahorse Shops on Sanibel. Vicki is credited with inventing several unique and tasty flavors of ice cream — “Dirty Sand Dollar,” for example.
She and Lee moved off the island after selling the ice cream shop in 2006, and Lee became a surgical nurse and part owner of The Animal Clinic at Kelly Crossing.
Vicki was born in Chicago, Ill. the daughter of Mae Elizabeth Porter, M.D. who was instrumental in Vicki’s choice of career. Dr. Porter practiced in Dayton, Tenn., and Vicki studied pre-Med at MTSU, a course of study she ultimately gave up to pursue a more hands-on approach to her passion. She graduated from Erlanger School of Nursing in Chattanooga in 1974. Her chief areas of work were dialysis, open heart surgery and emergency medicine. Through nursing, Vicki was able to give a bit of herself to anyone with whom she came in contact.
In lieu of flowers, Vicki’s family would appreciate donations to John Kanzius’ cancer research — Sanibel-Captiva Trust Company, FBO Targeted Radio Wave Therapy Fund/MD Anderson Cancer Center — and delivered or mailed to Sanibel-Captiva Trust Company, 2407 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, FL 33957.