Mcneill Blazed A Trail For Women

In the 1980s, Vicki McNeill could have rested on some laurels. She had plenty to rest upon. McNeill had raised more than $800,000 for the Opera House which was built for the Expo ‘74 world’s fair. And she had given her time and energy for other good causes, such as the Spokane Symphony Orchestra.

McNeill could have found plenty to keep her busy in traditional ways, too. She was a doctor’s wife, a mother.

But in the 1980s, McNeill said yes to some new challenges. In 1982, she was appointed to complete the Spokane City Council term of Jim Chase. Three years later, she became Spokane’s first woman mayor. In that position, she endured much criticism. She received hate mail and was called many unflattering names. “Queen Vicki.” “Rich witch from the South Hill.”

But McNeill accepted the criticism as part of the package. She said: “If you’re standing still, there’s no reason for anybody to criticize you. If you’re making changes, people aren’t as comfortable.”

McNeill died a week ago. Today at 4 p.m., hundreds will gather at the Ag Trade Center to honor her life and her many contributions to Spokane.

McNeill, who died at age 71 of cancer, was, above all, a trailblazer for women. She showed other women how to explore possibilities beyond their designated roles, beyond what they even knew they had inside to offer the world at large.

This trailblazing started early for McNeill. She chose soccer and hockey over dolls. Two brothers called forth her competitive spirit; this came in handy when she strode into the court of politics later in life. She saw at a young age that boys did things while girls cheered on the sidelines. But McNeill knew her destiny did not lie in cheerleading.

Being the first woman mayor of Spokane was just another part of McNeill’s trailblazing. It’s hard to imagine now, but McNeill urged her staff to prepare visitors for the fact that the mayor of Spokane was a woman. She didn’t want them to be shocked and unprepared when they met her in person.

McNeill was one of the founders of Women Helping Women, a Spokane group that raises thousands of dollars each year for organizations that empower women in their bodies and in their souls. It’s fitting that her family chose the Women Helping Women Endowment for memorial donations in McNeill’s honor.

Even in dying, McNeill chose a way that taught others about death. She fought a good fight against cancer. But when her relentless energy finally gave out, she accepted the inevitable. In the week before she died, almost 100 people visited her. She died surrounded by her family.

And finally, Vicki McNeill can rest. But her spirit will remain alive forever in the community she loved.

, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Rebecca Nappi/For the editorial board