GEORGIA WINTERS HICKINGBOTHAM
slipped quietly into the presence of her Lord and Savior on Dec. 7, 2023 in Newport Beach, Calif. She was born in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Jan. 19, 1934, to George Edward Winters, Jr. and Lillian Karns Winters. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Walter B. Winters.
Georgia is survived by her loving husband of almost fifty years, Frank Hickingbotham. She is also survived by her sons Herren (Susan), and Todd (Shana), and granddaughter Hayden Hickingbotham (Fiancé Jack Easby-Smith), Grandsons Frank Todd Hickingbotham II, Hunter Hickingbotham, Christian Hickingbotham, and Harrison Hickingbotham. She is also survived by her nephews Ray Hickingbotham (Kim), Carrollton, Tex., Barry Hickingbotham (Lisa), Jacksonville, Ark., Jason Winters (Sara) Dana Point, Calif., William Doyle, Jacksonville, Ark, and niece Julie Winters Davis (Reuben) McKinney, Tex., Sister-In Law, Gail Hickingbotham, Jacksonville, Ark. She is also survived by several great nephews, great nieces and special friend and assistant, Daniel Paleczny.
Upon graduation from Little Rock High School (now Little Rock Central) she began her first job, in a long and tremendously successful business career, working with the Quapaw Area Boys Scouts. She later worked with the Pulaski County Prosecutor's Office before beginning her career in banking. In I957, she became the second employee in the newly formed First American National Bank in North Little, Ark. Georgia worked in various capacities in the bank and later was elected as a vice president for the bank. At that time, she was the second woman in Arkansas elected as an officer in a bank. When the Interstate 30 Bridge crossing the Arkansas River had the ribbon cutting, she was chosen to represent the city of North Little Rock by cutting the ribbon. She served as an advisor to the Hickingbotham Bank Group.
Georgia was a Co-Founder of TCBY Frozen Yogurt along with Frank, Herren, Todd Hickingbotham, and Walt Winters. It was she that found the frozen yogurt in a Neiman Marcus store in Dallas and convinced a reluctant Frank to try a sample of the yogurt that led TCBY to become the largest frozen yogurt chain of stores in the world. She designed the layout of the stores on the back of a paper sack and chose all of the furniture, fixtures, and accessories. Her design won a first place award by the National Restaurant Association as number one in America. She insisted that every individual store around the world must have fresh cut flowers on every table in the store every day.
One of Georgia's greatest joys was her association with the girls who lived in Georgia Hickingbotham Hall at Ouachita Baptist University. It was her desire that the dorm be their “Real Home Away From Home”. She engaged directly with the girls by providing events, entertainment, special gifts, parties, and a formal Christmas Banquet with all of the festivities of the Christmas Holiday. She read and saved every piece of correspondence she received from her girls. The Girls loved Mrs. Georgia and chose to name themselves “Georgia Girls”.
Nothing, except her Faith in her Lord, was more important to Georgia than her family. All of her family had an open door to visit her and Frank in their home in Calif. Whether it was a ballgame, trip to Disneyland, visits to Hollywood or Los Angeles, or the many theatrical plays, or the sandy beaches, it was constant fun and happy memories. Georgia is greatly loved and will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
Funeral services will be 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023, in the Chapel of Immanuel Baptist Church, 501 North Shackleford Road, Little Rock, Ark. (501) 3763071. Memorials may be made to “Georgia Girls” at Ouachita Baptist University, 410 Ouachita St. Arkadelphia, Ark. 71998.
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