Arline Burnett Wicks

On January 4, 2026, Arline Burnett Wicks (89), of Sutherland, Virginia, went to be with Jesus.

After years of suffering patiently, her pain has been swallowed up with joy.

She met her loving husband, Irving Leon Wicks, in middle school, when Arline was just 13. The pair married young, at 18 and 19 years old, and would have celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary on April 16 of this year. They were seldom found apart. After graduating from Petersburg High School, she worked as a secretary before staying home with their two beloved children. Together, Irving and Arline built a warm, safe, and loving environment for their children, and later grandchildren and great-grandchildren, to flourish, built on the foundation of Jesus Christ.

Arline loved to spend time with her family, who fondly remember time spent baking together in the kitchen, playing monopoly, or watching Tom and Jerry in her living room. She was the quintessential doting grandmother, whose grandchildren were never denied anything while in her home, which was a hub for Super Bowls, Christmas celebrations, and summer break.

Though she did not love to cook, she loved to feed people, sharing her sweet tooth with anyone she could. Even in the last days of her life, she often asked, "What can I get you to eat, honey?" Arline is survived by her husband, Irving Leon Wicks; her daughter, Deborah Southall (Kirby); her son, Steven Wicks (Ruth). She is also survived by her seven grandchildren, Tyler Southall (Elizabeth), Wesley Southall (Tara), Luke Southall (Danielle), Caleb Southall, Hannah Cook (Benjamin), Sydney Wicks, and Alex Wicks. And as a truly great grandmother, she is survived by her fourteen great-grandchildren, Jack, Belle, Caroline, Susanna, Theodore, Esther, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Zack, Mercy, Ruth, Alyosha, Sofia, and Amos. She is preceded in death by her parents, Dewitt and Annie Burnett; and her three siblings, Virginia Royal, Doris Whitehead, and Henry Burnett.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 9, 2026, at The Heights Baptist Church, 17201 US-1, South Chesterfield, VA 23834, where Arline was a member. Interment will follow in Blandford Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the funeral on Friday from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. at church. In lieu of flowers, donations to The Heights Baptist Church or Billy Graham Evangelistic Association would be appreciated. Online condolences may be registered at www.ealvinsmall.com.