Gerald B. Hickman

"To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord", 2 Corinthians 5:8. Gerald B. "Jerry" Hickman was born February 12, 1936, in Gays, IL, to Bernard and Margaret (Phipps) Hickman and departed this earth, on March 1, 2021, "to ever be with our Lord and Savior". He attended Gays Elementary School for eight years, (where he met his future wife at the age of 13), then Windsor High School, graduating at the age of 17. He joined the U.S. Navy, in October of 1953. He and Liane Edwards were married on July 7, 1954. As a Radioman, he spent the first four years aboard the U.S.S. Helena and U.S.S. Worchester, homeported out of Long Beach, CA, when their first son, Joe, was born; then on the U.S.S. Koiner out of Seattle. WA, where second son, Dan. was born. They spent three years in Albuquerque, NM, at Joint Command, where daughter, Cari, was born. Additional Tech training took the family to San Antonio, TX, and then Keflavik, Iceland, for two years. Continued island hopping took them to Kodiak, AK, for a three year tour, and Oahu, HI, for three more. There, he was in charge of Communications, with the responsibility of connecting the White House by phone with the Astronauts when they landed on the moon! He received the Navy Achievement Medal at the end of that tour. He completed his 20 year Navy service on the island of Adak, AK, in May of 1973. After retirement, the family moved to Kenai, AK, for four years, before moving to Wenatchee, WA, in 1977. They had apple orchards for several years, doing as much of the work themselves as possible. In 1991, they designed and built their present home "with their own four hands". Gerald had also worked as an auto parts manager/mechanic, and later, became a bowyer. He loved to hunt and fish. With Alaska's long daylight, he could be out on the water at all hours. He shot a Kodiak brown bear while stationed there and moose on the mainland, but most later hunts were with a bow and arrow for elk and deer. The family started in archery in New Mexico, and continued bow hunting and competitive archery, until after he turned 80. He won the World Title twice, setting new records each time. They were the first husband and wife in the nation to enter the NFAA "500 Club", and continued to bring home the silver bowls from National Championships 17 times between them. Over the years, he built many recurve bows and sold them in the U.S. and abroad. Severe reaction to the toxins in the hardwoods used for the handles brought that to a halt; he then started a small business providing archery equipment and "fine tuning" bows for archers around the state. He was a deacon at Eastmont Baptist for several years, and taught Bible Study; most focused on Books of Prophecy. They have been members of Calvary Bible Church for many years. He was preceded in death by his parents; grandparents; son, Joe and wife, Marlene; and brother, Fred. He is survived by his wife, Liane of 66 years; son, Dan and wife, Donna; daughter, Cari; sister, Beverly; and aunt, Rose. All the grand and great-grandkids were special: Tanner and Lisa (River), Jaisa (Calista), Jodee and Brittany (Bella), Jeremy, Hunter, Austen and Emma (Claire and Charlie), Monti and Anthony, Melba, and their children and grandchildren. A special thanks to his cardiologists, Dr. Gorham and later, Dr. Newman, to help give us 38 good years after his first open heart surgery, until vascular dementia worked to rob him of his memories. A Big Thank You to all at Hospice for the wonderful care this last month! Memorial Services with full military honors will be held March 20, 2021, at 1:00 p.m., at Calvary Bible Church, 605 First Street, Wenatchee, WA. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Heart Association at https://www2.heart.org/ or Alzheimer/Dementia Research at https://act.alz.org/. You may visit his book of memories @ chapelofthevalleyncw.com. Arrangements assisted by Chapel of the Valley, East Wenatchee, WA.

Gerald B. Hickman

February 12, 1936 - March 1, 2021