Hildegard Hicks

Mrs. Hildegard Wolff Hicks, 91, passed away on Wednesday, July 24, 2019. Hildegard was born in Berlin December 22, 1927 into a family of proud Prussian heritage. Her father died as a result of injuries received during World War I when she was 2 years old. This left her mother to rear 2 boys already in their late teens and twenties, upon her birth, as well as Hildegard. Luise Wolff, her mother, had hoped for a sweet, feminine, cake-baking daughter but instead got a tough tomboy. However, between the nuns, the convent and her mother she received an upbringing turning her into a lady knowing how to behave, how to cook, and how to care for a household. As time moved on and the war approached life changed dramatically for her and for all. She, her mother and their little bird Peter spent many weeks in the bomb shelter in Berlin. Tante Hilde often said “No one should ever, ever have to experience the horrors of war.” Ultimately, losing everything in Berlin, forced she and her mother to go to her beloved Eberswalde, where Luise Wolff’s parents had a home. Her grandfather was a forester and taught her a love of nature and animals. Her grandmother an herbalist, often called a little witch, knew the powers of flowers, herbs, and plants to heal. (Tante Hilde and Uncle Melvin were life-long supporters of the Augusta Humane Society.) All the lessons from her mother, her grandparents, and the war set the tone of Hildegard’s mind to be one of strength, resilience, and toughness. As the war was coming to an end and enemy troops were advancing from the east her mother put Hildegard on the last train out of Eberswalde. Her last act of love for her daughter. Her mother remained in what would become East Germany. Her mother and grandparents had taught her the most important lessons of compassion and love for all humanity, that no one should ever be looked down upon and mistreated because of ethnic origin, spiritual faith or color. She lived her life from these principles everyday and if you were the recipient of her love you were a lucky person. Hildegard Wolff Hicks has touched many with that tough clear mind and gentle and generous heart. Tante Hilde, you will be loved and remembered always. Melvin A. Hicks passed December 22, 2009. Clara Rountree is her godchild. Judith E. Wecker is her daughter. A Memorial Service will be held at 2pm on Wednesday, July 31, 2019 at the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, 825 Greene Street, Augusta, Georgia 30901. Elliott Sons Funeral Home on Lumpkin is handling the arrangements.