It is with saddened hearts that we announce the peaceful passing of our much-loved brother, William Joseph (Billy) Hicks, 82, after a brief illness.
Born in Sydney Mines on January 10, 1941, he was the eldest of ten children born to William Joseph and Mary Clarissa (Bedford) Hicks. Billy lived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he worked for the federal government for over thirty years.
He was a devoted husband, son, and brother. A faithful man, he was a practicing Catholic his whole life. He never lost his love for Sydney Mines and was always interested in anything that was going on there. Billy was an avid reader, mainly of ancient and modern history as well as the classics and some modern fiction. He also enjoyed watching sports, his favourite hockey team being the Detroit Red Wings. The family was well aware not to call Billy when Coronation Street was on. He kept up with current events, watching several news programs daily. He also enjoyed walking to the Halifax shopping mall, where he would peruse the bookstores and enjoy his Tim Horton's coffee.
He is survived by his wife Janet, his sister-in-law Diane Gorman, his brothers Alex, New Brunswick, Wayne (Wendy), Sydney Mines, and sisters Florence (John), Bras d’Or, Edna (Fred), Ottawa, Tina (Brian) Big Bras d’Or, Marie (Frank), Sydney Mines, and Dianne (John), Sydney River, as well as his sister-in-law Ann Hicks. Billy was also survived by a very special uncle, Allan Garfield, Newfoundland, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Besides being predeceased by his parents, Billy was also predeceased by his little sister Clara, brother Lorne (Ann) Hicks, brother-in-law Andrew Crosby, and sister-in-law Judy Hicks.
A funeral mass for immediate family only has been held. Donations will be made to the Sydney Mines Food Bank. Expressions of sympathy may be forwarded to the family at www.jmjobesfuneralhome.com
We love you, Billy, and you will be missed, the Hicks family.
“To have had a brother is to have experienced an extraordinary gift. “
“Look, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” Isaiah 49