Herbert Wilbur Hickman

Herbert W. Hickman, age 92, passed away peacefully at home in Greenfield, MA on January 7, 2024. A long-time resident of Livingston, NJ he moved to Western Mass three years ago.

Herbert was born May 5, 1931 in Pittsburgh, PA to Leon E. Hickman and Mayme Hoyt Hickman of Mount Lebanon, PA. Herb graduated from Mount Lebanon High School, earned a B.S. in mathematics from Haverford College and a M.B.A. from Harvard. Following college Herb was drafted into the Army at the end of the Korean War and served as a radio operator in Okinawa.

Herb worked for the Prudential Insurance Company in Newark, NJ for over 30 years, attaining the office of Vice President and Associate Actuary. He served in a variety of actuarial positions, including the development of variable annuities.

Herb married Sally Swinton of Newton, MA in 1958. They lived in East Orange, NJ, Phoenix, AZ and Livingston, NJ. After his retirement he cared for Sally until her death in 2001, after 43 years of marriage.

Herb had a life long passion for chess. He earned the rating of Master in over the board chess and International Master in correspondence chess. He co-authored a book on the Dutch Defense chess opening and wrote a weekly chess column for the Star Ledger (North Jersey) newspaper. He was involved for decades in the Correspondence Chess League of America, frequently serving as president and or general manager. At the age of 90 he and his daughter Linda restarted the Greenfield Chess Club at the Greenfield Games store. He played there weekly, winning almost every game, until shortly before his death.

Herb was a life long Methodist, and was very active in the Livingston United Methodist Church in NJ for decades, leading Bible studies, and serving in many positions. He also served at the district and conference level of the United Methodist Conference of NJ.

Herb traveled extensively during his long life. He visited almost every state in the country including Hawaii and Alaska. During his Army service he visited Macao, Hong Kong and Japan. He relished hiking up mountains. At the age of 86 he hiked trails in the Canadian Rockies he had first traveled with his parents 70 years before. Herb loved turtles, kept many as pets, and greatly enjoyed visiting the Galapagos Islands to observe giant tortoises in the wild.

Herb was extremely intelligent, polite, honest and circumspect in nature. He was devoted to his family and unusually generous to those in need. He was a tireless volunteer until age 89 and always put others first.

Herb was predeceased by his parents, his wife Sally and his brother Hoyt. He is survived by his daughters Linda Hickman and her husband Joseph Coll of Wendell, MA and daughter Diane Hickman Stanley and her husband Michael Stanley of Mt Ephraim, NJ; his grandsons Christopher Stanley and his wife Rachel of Flemington, NJ and their daughter Harper; Tyler Stanley and his partner Victoria Twaites of South Philadelphia, and by three nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday January 20th at 2 p.m. in the North community room of the Mill House Apartments, 75 B Wells St. Greenfield, MA.

Memorial service to be held on Saturday, February 10th, at 1:30 p.m. at the Livingston United Methodist Church, 290 Hobart Gap Road, Livingston, NJ, 07039. Internment will take place following the memorial service at the Hanover Cemetery, in East Hanover, NJ. Memorial contributions may be made to the Livingston United Methodist Church or the Turtle Conservancy, turtleconservancy.org, P.O. Box 1289, Ojai, CA 93024

The McCarthy Funeral Homes of Greenfield, MA, have been entrusted with Herb's care and arrangements. Expressions of remembrance may be directed to his Tribute Wall at www.mccarthyfuneralhomes.com.