Gregory Francis Bickham

Gregory Francis Bickham, known to his friends and family as Greg, went to join his friends and family in Heaven on August 18, 2021 at the age of seventy-one after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease.
Greg was born in Shreveport, Louisiana on January 22nd, 1950 and grew up in Blanchard, Louisiana. He was the son of Francis Penn Bickham and Donna Chance Bickham and elder brother to Donnie Bickham. While in junior high school, Greg met his childhood sweetheart, Christy Leach Bickham, to whom he was faithfully married until his passing.
Greg graduated from Fair Park High School in 1968 and after being offered many athletic scholarships to various colleges, he chose to attend Louisiana State University. It was his great pride to wear the number 38 on the LSU Tigers football team for several years, and Greg was part of the team that won the SEC Championship game in 1970. He graduated from LSU in 1972 and went on to receive his MBA. He worked for IBM for several years before becoming employed by Merrill Lynch where he would work until his retirement. He was an excellent stock broker and financial planner for over thirty years.
Shortly after his retirement, Greg was diagnosed and began his battle with Alzheimer's Disease. One of his priorities upon receiving his diagnosis was to do all he could to help others by participating in clinical trials. While he knew these trials would not save his own life, he wanted to be a part of saving lives that would come after him. The experimental drug trial in which Greg participated is now approved by the FDA for Alzheimer's patients with very positive results.
Greg was an avid athlete and fisherman. He ran 5ks with his daughter Katie well into his sixties, had an excellent golf swing, and had some of the most fun of his life on the greens of Southern Trace with his golfing buddies. Greg's favorite pastime by far, however, was dragging his children, grandchildren, and their friends on waterskies, wakeboards, and innertubes behind his boat on Cross Lake on long summer days. In the evenings, Greg loved to watch movies, and his favorites were always westerns or love stories with happy endings. He adored any movie starring John Wayne or Bradley Cooper.
Greg shared a special bond with each of his children. With his oldest son Andy, he shared many years of avid fishing, duck hunting, and deer hunting. With his son Ben, he came to appreciate the beauty of artwork and drawings, hanging Ben's work on every spare wall in his home. With his daughter Katie, he enjoyed passing long hours reading to her or being read to, especially the classics by Jane Austen and John Steinbeck.
Greg is survived by his loving wife and childhood sweetheart Christy Leach Bickham, their children Andy Bickham and his wife Carolyn, Benjamin Bickham and his wife Tanya, and Katie Bickham and her husband Keith Hanson. Greg's great joy in his life were his grandchildren, Mary Jane Bickham, Drew Bickham, Annie Bickham, Bickham Hanson, and Lilly Bickham.
Greg was fortunate to have faithful friends who stayed beside him from childhood until the end of his days, and his kindness will be remembered by them and his family for many years to come.
A memorial service for Greg will be held Thursday, August 26th, 2021 at 10 AM at Ellerbe Road Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, Greg's wishes were that donations be made to the Alzheimer's Research Foundation and the One Tribe Foundation which supports mental healthcare for US Veterans.
2021at 10:00 a.m. at Ellerbe Road Baptist Church. Full obituary to follow.