LAWRENCE F. HICKEY

HICKEY--Lawrence Francis, Lawrence Francis Hickey, 90, died peacefully at home in New York City. Cherished husband of the late Jean Hogan Hickey, his bride of 56 years, adored father of Elizabeth Hickey Lavin of Pelham Manor, NY, Frank Hickey, Magee Hickey Salembier and Jane Hickey Sexton, all of New York City, and beloved father-in-law of Tom Lavin, Rick Salembier and Mason Speed Sexton. He was the devoted grandfather of 11: Tom, Kate, Meg, Jack and Janie Lavin, Lily and Floy Salembier, Mason, Buckman, Keats and Daisy Sexton and beloved grandfather-in-law of Scott Phillips. He was a special friend of Miao Hua Zhou. He was lovingly cared for by Felicidad Collado, Astou Diop, Nur Purnamawaty and so many others. Mr. Hickey, born in Brooklyn, was a graduate of the University of Notre Dame class of 1942. He served in World War II as a lieutenant senior grade USN in the Pacific. He received the William D. Reynolds Award in 1992 from Notre Dame and was the Notre Dame Club of New York "Man of the Year" in 1993. He also received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters in 1995 from St. John's University. After retiring from his family's concrete business, M.F. Hickey Company, which was founded by his grandfather in 1896, Mr. Hickey spent the last three decades helping the mentally retarded and emotionally disturbed children of New York City. He served on the Board of the Kennedy Child Study Center for decades. Mr. Hickey was head of the Parish Council, Eucharistic Minister, lector, and altar server at Saint Vincent Ferrer Church. He was also a member of the board of Astor Services for Children for many years. During that time, he oversaw the purchase and renovation of a two-room, Victorian Gothic schoolhouse known as "The Little Red Schoolhouse." It was renamed in honor of him and is now called the Lawrence F. Hickey Center for Child Development, a therapeutic early childhood development program. In addition, Mr. Hickey was a past president of the Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter, The Amateur Comedy Club and The Jones Wood Association. He was chief Honorary Usher and a lector at St. Patrick's Cathedral, a Knight Equestrian of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and a Knight of Malta. The Daughters of Charity recognized him for his work at the Kennedy and Astor facilities by naming him an "Affiliate" of the Order in 1990. Mr. Hickey was a member of the Friends of Cardinal Cooke Guild and an early member of the Bishop Fulton J. Sheen Foundation promoting the case for sainthood. When asked why he spent his retirement years helping others, Mr. Hickey wrote: "Lessons learned on the campus of Notre Dame, from my Irish Catholic background, and a tour of 49 months in the Navy in WWII, convinced me that we all must help God's less fortunate." And in his final years, nothing made him happier than to be surrounded by his large and adoring circle of family and friends in his weekend home in Millerton, New York. The wake will be held at Frank E. Campbell, 1076 Madison Avenue at 81st Street on Thursday from 6 to 9pm. The Funeral Mass will be held at Saint Patrick's Cathedral at 10am, Friday. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Lawrence F. Hickey Center for Child Development, 4010 Dyre Avenue, Bronx, NY 10466 or the Kennedy Child Study Center, 151 East 67th Street, New York, NY 10065.