Robert Wayne Hicks

Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Robert Wayne Hicks of Portageville, Mo., passed away June 17, 2019, surrounded by his wife and sons in Cincinnati, Ohio. Bob was born May 21, 1940, in Holland, Mo., to the late Helen (nee Watkins) and Anderson Hicks. He married Deanna Pikey on Oct. 18, 1963.

He was preceded in death by their infant son, Sean Pikey Hicks, and his brother, George Hicks.

Bob leaves behind his wife, Deanna Pikey Hicks and sons, Darrin Pikey Hicks, Mark Jason Hicks; and family friend, Michael Thomas, as well as sisters, Odin (nee Hicks) Crim of Salem, Mo.; Mary (nee Hicks) Sutton of Kennett, Mo.; Phyllis (nee Hicks) Platt of Bloomsdale, Mo.; Sharron (nee Hicks) Ralph of Mt. View, Mo.; sisters-in-law Francis Hicks of Holland, Mo., Brenda (nee Pikey) Tillman of Conran, Mo.; brother-in-law, Sam Pikey of New Madrid, Mo.; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Bob began his career with the Randall Company in Blytheville in 1957. He remained with the company and was promoted from personnel manager to executive vice president when the company was acquired by Textron. As executive vice president of the Textron Automotive Company, he was responsible for 50 manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, Great Britain, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, China, Argentina and the Czech Republic. He retired from the Textron Automotive Company in 2001, after 42 years of service. In 1972, Bob was named Most Outstanding Young Man of Blytheville. He also served two terms as the vice president of the YMCA. He was a member of the Lions Club and a board member of the Chamber of Commerce. He served as vice president of the United Fund and President of his sons’ high school athletic boosters, the Sycamore Athletic Club, from 1984-1987. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church and president of his Sunday school class. Bob was an avid golfer and served as president of the SEMO Golf Association.

Bob will be missed by his family and many friends.

There will be a visitation and service at the First United Methodist Church in Portageville, Mo., at 10 a.m. July 20. The Hicks family cordially invite you to join them after the service in celebrating Bob’s life at the New Madrid Country Club - his home away from home.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Research Hospital in memory of Robert Hicks: https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html