Willard A. Hickox

Willard A. Hickox of West Chester Willard A. Hickox, 88, died Friday, Aug. 15, 2014 at the Brandywine Hospital in Coatesville after a brief illness. He was the beloved husband of the late Lucille R. Hickox who described him as a wonderful husband and congenial partner. Born in North Abington, he was the son of the late Austin W. Hickox and the late Beatrice McNamara Hickox. While living in Hallstead, he joined the U.S. Navy in 1943. He did his boot camp training in Sampson, N.Y. After training, he was sent to the Panama Canal and boarded the USS Trenton. He was awarded the Atlantic Theater medal, victory medal and the American theater medal. He also served on the USS Coolbaugh (DE-217). Willard was honorably discharged on April 24, 1946. After the war, Willard went home to Hallstead where he worked at the former Fairbanks Valve Company as an apprentice medal pattern maker and worked nights in the power plant. Willard married Lucille Darrow of Binghamton, N.Y. at the Chenango United Methodist Church by his Grandfather, Rev. Burton Hickox on Sept. 15, 1951. Both Willard and Lucille moved to West Chester when Willard accepted a job at West Chester State College as an engineer for the power plant in 1965. He left the college as an Assistant Chief Engineer to join the Osteopathic Hospital located on Walnut Street in West Chester and later moved to Paoli Memorial Hospital as the Director of Engineering and Maintenance. After 5 years at Paoli, He left and worked at Harcom Junior College as Director of Buildings and Grounds. He joined the BHC Maintenance in 1973 in charge of commercial buildings and retired in 1987. Willard was a life time member of the VFW post 106, American Legion Lodge 853 and First West Chester Fire Company. He is survived by his daughters, Karen Dell'Aringa and Marie Monaghan; grandchildren, T. Alexander, Jessica, Sean and Patrick; and six great-grandchildren. Relatives and friends are invited to his funeral service, 11 a.m., Thursday, August 21, 2014 at the United Methodist Church of West Chester, 129 S. High Street, West Chester, PA19382; where visitation will begin at 9 a.m. Interment will be at Grove Methodist Cemetery in West Chester. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the charity of your choice. Arrangements by DellaVecchia, Reilly, Smith & Boyd Funeral Home Inc. of West Chester, 610-696-1181 www.DellaFH.com.