Gary Benton Hicks 1931-2010

HICKS, BROWN ARNOLD

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 2/21/2011 at 19:40:10

Sioux City Journal
3 November 2010

SLOAN, Iowa -- Gary Benton Hicks, 79, Sloan passed away Monday, Nov. 1, 2010, at Burgess Health Center in Onawa, Iowa.

Memorial services will be 1 p.m. Friday at Skien Lutheran Church in Albaton, Iowa, with the Rev. Craig Bock officiating. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery at Albaton. Arrangements are under the direction of Rush Family Care Service in Onawa. Condolences may be left online for the family at www.rushfamilycareservice.com.

Gary was born Aug. 3, 1931, in Sioux City, the son of Bennie and Mildred (Brown) Hicks. He was raised in the Sloan area and graduated from Sloan High School in 1949. He attended Morningside College in Sioux City and the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, S.D. Gary had a lot of athletic ability and joined a Chicago Cubs farm team to pursue baseball, playing in several states. Later, he played semi-pro baseball in Nebraska.

Gary and Beverly Arnold were united in marriage on Jan. 16, 1953, in Sloan. The couple farmed and raised their three sons near Sloan. Gary was an assistant manager at Cargill Grain Elevator in Sloan and later Onawa, where he retired in 1993.

He was a loving dad who was always there for his sons to cheer and support their sporting events and help coach their teams. All sports were dear to him and he coached an American Legion team in Whiting, Iowa. He was a member of Skien Lutheran Church and Sloan Golf Course. He was an avid Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Vikings fan and was a real energetic outdoorsman, whether it be gardening, fishing or golfing.

He is survived by his wife, Beverly of Sloan; three sons and their wives, Dan and Deby of Urbandale, Iowa, Randy and Debra of Albaton, and Gary and Jennifer of Victoria, Minn.; and five grandchildren, Justin, Zachariah, Cassandra, Benjamin and Madison.

He was preceded in death by his parents.