William Arlo "Bill" Hicklin

William (Bill) Arlo Hicklin
William Arlo Hicklin, 82, passed away at his home in Gold Canyon, Arizona on Thursday, February 6, 2025. He was born in rural Mahaska County on October 31, 1942. He attended Rose Hill school through the 8th grade and then attended and graduated from Fremont High School in 1961. He majored in business, economics, and history at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, Nebraska.
He married Kathy Kirby on June 3, 1967, in Rose Hill, Iowa. They lived in Lincoln, Nebraska the first year of their marriage and then lived in the Ames and Des Moines areas until 1989 when they moved to rural Solon, Iowa where they built their home, doing much of the work themselves. They purchased a home in Gold Canyon, Arizona, and moved there full-time in 2019.
Bill worked at Safeway Stores in Lincoln while attending college and in Ames and Des Moines following college. He was promoted to manager of the West Des Moines store at age 24 and managed the East 14th and University Des Moines store before the company left the Midwest. He was employed by Hajoca for 21 years as manager of the McDonald Supply branch in Iowa City before retirement in 2008. He was employed part-time by Hajoca as the Midwest Inventory/Pricing Manager from 2008 to 2013.
Bill enjoyed working outside around their acreage doing landscaping and cutting down trees and splitting wood for their fireplace; and he enjoyed the many pets they had over the years.
Bill and Kathy loved to travel, visiting all 50 states. Bill's favorite spots were the national parks they visited. Bill was an avid ISU Cyclone fan and was a member of the National Cyclone Club and a life-time member of the ISU Alumni Association.
Bill was preceded in death by his father, Forrest N. Hicklin of Rose Hill; his mother, Vera R. Hicklin of Oskaloosa, and his grandparents, Bonnie and Ruby Gott of San Diego, CA; and William and Elizabeth Hicklin of Rose Hill.
He is survived by his wife, Kathy, his brother and sister-in-law, Mike and Carolyn Hicklin of Indianola, Iowa, and his niece and her husband, Rebecca and Matt Boyd of Des Moines.
A gathering in memory of Bill in Iowa will be planned at a later date. Memorials may be made to Safe Haven of Iowa County. Bates Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.