Lieutenant Colonel, United States Air Force,
Retired, 83, of Bedford and a former Fort Worth
resident passed away November 25, 2018.
MEMORIAL SERVICE: 11:00 a.m. Saturday,
December 1st at First United Methodist Church of
Grapevine in the Founders Chapel.
Private Interment: Dallas-Fort Worth National
Cemetery with military honors presented by the
United States Air Force. Officiating will be
Reverend Armando Alvarado and Dr. Cindy Ryan.
MEMORIALS: First United Methodist Church of
Grapevine Endowment Fund and the American
Heart Association.
George was born on July 26, 1935 in DeRuyter,
New York. He attended Blodgett Mills Elementary
School, McGraw High School, and earned a
Master of Business Administration degree from
Southern Methodist University.
After high school, George joined the United States
Air Force. He soon became an officer, earning three
aeronautical ratings: Command Pilot, Navigator,
and Radar Bombardier. During his tour at James
Connally Air Force Base in Waco, he met and
married Jo Ann Engelbrecht from Crawford, Texas.
His Air Force career was extraordinary, including
being a test pilot and flying O-2s as a Forward Air
Controller (FAC) while assigned to the 20th
Tactical Air Support Squadron during the height of
the Vietnam War. Over the years he flew many
types of aircraft and was stationed at several bases
across the country. He flew B-47s in Plattsburgh,
New York, B-52s in Fort Walton Beach, Florida
and Bossier City, Louisiana, F-5s and F-100s in
Phoenix, Arizona, F-102s in Dennison, Texas,
B-58s in Peru, Indiana, and T-39s in Omaha,
Nebraska.
His last military assignment was at Carswell Air
Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas. Among many
responsibilities, he successfully coordinated and
supervised all military operations during the
opening of the Dallas/Fort Worth International
Airport in 1973. He retired from the Air Force
as a Lieutenant Colonel after 20 years of dedicated
service. After his retirement, George spent many
years owning and building his financial services
business. Despite all of his military and business
achievements, George always said his greatest
accomplishment was having a close and loving
relationship with his family.
George was preceded in death by his parents,
Harry G. Hicks and Geraldine M. Hicks, and
his brother Paul D. Hicks.
SURVIVORS: Loving and caring wife of 61 years,
Jo; daughters Melissa Hicks Hollmann (Scot) and
Melinda Hicks Evans (Tim); grandchildren
Bryan (Franzi), Brad, and Brooke Hollmann,
Emily (Travis) Horn, Audrey, William, and Abigail
Evans; great-grandchildren Wesley and Ella Horn;
brothers Felix Hicks, Richard (Nancy) Hicks,
Earl Hicks, and sister-in-law Jeanie Hicks;
and many nieces and nephews.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
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