HICKS, Gerald D.
Gerald D. Hicks, 88 of Portland, beloved husband of Marguerite (Krewer) Hicks for over 63 years, died comfortably on Sunday, (May 13, 2012) at the Portland Care and Rehabilitation with loving members of his family at his side. Born on April 13, 1924 in Flushing, NY, the son of James W. and Katherine (Mahony) Hicks, Pop had a full and distinguished life. While he was a student at Grove City College in 1943, World War II was at its height. In an act of patriotism, Jerry left college to join the USMC to help defend our country. Staff Sgt. Hicks was deployed to the Pacific Theater of Operation where he distinguished himself as a combat marine tailgunner, navigator and radar technician in the Bismark Archipeligo Operations and the Consolidation of the Northern Solomon Islands. He was awarded multiple medals for bravery under enemy fire. After World War II, Pop completed his college degree at the University of Miami and had a long and industrious career as a senior agent with the Allstate Insurance Company. Pop leaves a litany of loving family members who will forever miss him. Besides his wife; he leaves a sister, Mrs. Joan Kelly of Webster, NY; a brother, Mr. James Hicks of Englishtown, NJ, Pop will forever be missed by his four loving children and their spouses, Mr. and Mrs. John Hope of White Stone, VA, Dr. and Mrs. Francis Cleary of Portland, Mr. and Mrs. John Janicek and Gerald D. Hicks Jr. both of St. James, NY; twelve loving grandchildren, Ms. Stacy Hope, Ms. Colleen Shanahan, Mr. and Mrs. John Savage, Mr. and Mrs. John Hope Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Jason Kiefer, Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Cleary, Mr. Brian Cleary, Ms. Kelly Cleary, Mr. Aaron Janicek, Mr. Nathan Janicek, Ms. Lauren Hicks, Ms. Kehley Hicks; as well as 13 greatgrandchildren.
Memorial services will be held Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at 4 p.m. at the Portland Memorial Funeral Home, 231 Main St., Portland. Relatives and friends may call on Wednesday from 3:30 p.m. until the time of the service at the funeral home. Burial will be in the State Veterans Cemetery, Middletown at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, P.O. Box 1163 Glastonbury, CT 06033. To send an online expression of sympathy, please visit www.portlandmemorialfh.net. Pop will always remain the patriarch of our family whom we have looked up to for guidance through all of our lives.
