DAVID HICKS JR.,

passed away peacefully at home on Sunday morning, March 21, 2021. David was born in Richmond, Virginia, in 1932, to David and Naomi Hicks (née Wright). A child of the great depression, he spent many of his younger years at a family farm near Austin, Kentucky. After attending Thomas Jefferson High School in Richmond, Va., he entered college at 17, briefly attending VPI (now VA Tech) before being served a draft notice. After finishing Army Basic Training at Camp Chaffee, Ark., he completed Artillery Officer Candidate School at Ft Sill, Okla., and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant at 19 years old. He served two years in Germany patrolling the German-Czech border during the Cold War. Upon returning stateside, he attended the University of Richmond where he played football and tennis, majored in business, and met his future bride, Suzanne (Suzie). After marrying Suzie in 1957, his first job out of college was as a traveling salesman for Hammermill Paper Co. After a two-year stop in St Louis, David and Suzie put down roots in Little Rock in 1965. David’s career would include many years in the uniform and linen business where he managed several different companies, most recently the Little Rock branch of ALSCO. He was a long-time member and one-time President of the Southwest Linen Association. A founding member of Pleasant Valley Country Club, David was an avid golfer, duck hunter, and lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan. For many years he coached little league baseball with Dr. Terry Yamauchi, their team winning the state championship his last year. Other civic involvement included being a Rotary Club member, President of the Arkansas Association for Retarded Citizens, Board member of the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, and volunteer for the Arkansas Down Syndrome Association. After retiring for the third time at age 84, David also volunteered at Arkansas Heart Hospital where he counseled patients who were preparing to undergo open-heart surgery. Having been through the procedure three times himself, he wanted to be the example of someone who lived a long and fruitful life after the surgery. He was a gifted storyteller with an incredible ability to recall names, dates, and details from decades ago. His gregarious nature allowed him to strike up conversations with complete strangers. His old-school sense of patriotism was strong, never hesitating to walk through a crowd to demand someone remove their hat while the National Anthem was playing.

David loved and adored his wife, six children, and eleven grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his sister, Virginia Alice (Reed). He is survived by his wife, Suzie, children, Pam Hicks, David Hicks (Suzanne), Susan Lausmann, Cathy McLaughlin (David), Geoffrey Hicks (Kristin), and Elizabeth Hill (Sam), grandchildren, Will and Ben Hicks, Sophia and Eleanor Lausmann, Corie, Kate, and Jack McLaughlin; Olivia and Charlie Hicks, Jake and Tucker Ellis, and other children he considered his own: Miki Ebara, Paolo Astro, Murat Demirel, and the late Clifford Foster.

The family wishes to extend their sincere gratitude to the doctors and staff at Baptist Hospital and the Arkansas Heart Hospital and Clinic as well as Hospice Home Care with particular mention of Dr. C.D. Williams and Nurse Chaney Bell Maddox.

Visitation will be held at Griffin Leggett Healy and Roth funeral home at 5800 W 12th St from 5 to 7 p.m., on Friday, March 26. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at noon on Saturday, March 27, at the Cathedral of St. Andrew, 617 S. Louisiana St. In lieu of flowers, memorials in honor of David can be made to the Arkansas Down Syndrome Association (ardownsyndrome.org/donate). To sign the online guestbook, click “Add A Memory” at: www.griffinleggetthealeyroth.com