Grover Garland Fickes

Our loving husband, father, Papa, friend, longtime public servant, and businessman, Grover Garland “Gary” Fickes, passed away peacefully on his ranch near Comanche on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at age 75. Gary died while enjoying his family ranch on a beautiful summer afternoon. He loved the serenity of the country, which was the home to family celebrations, work weekends, holidays, and memories.

For the past 18 years, he has served as Tarrant County Precinct 3 Commissioner, having retired on December 31, 2024. His staff referred to him as “the best boss I ever worked for” due to his kindness, encouragement, and mentorship.

Born and raised in Houston to Dr. Kenton and Annie Fickes. He was a 1968 graduate of Reagan High School and enjoyed the two years he spent at Lon Morris College in Jacksonville.

As teens, Gary and Ken started hunting with their parents, which led to one of Gary’s greatest passions. In later years, he would hunt wild game across North America and internationally. As he got older, Gary spent a great deal of time bringing new generations to the activity he loved. Many of his friends’ kids and grandkids had their first hunt on the family’s property in Comanche. He also partnered with the Texas Parks and Wildlife for the Texas Youth Hunting Program. Every year, children from families without access to the great outdoors would come out for a weekend of hunting and adventure.

Gary also worked to share his love of the outdoors with his children and those of his friends. An annual tradition and rite of passage was joining the summer “Father and Kid” campout at Garner State Park. Between tubing the Frio River, day trips to Acuna, Mexico, and the popular “tortilla toss”, many lifetime memories were made possible because of him.

In 1972, Gary graduated from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville with a Bachelor of Science Degree. The love for his alma mater was reignited in his later years as he served on its Alumni Association Board. The University recently opened a College of Osteopathic Medicine. Recognizing the healthcare challenges faced across the region and nation, he wanted to support this effort.

In 2017, Gary wed Kathy Nicholson, who loved and cared for him until the end. They brought each other much joy as they travelled the world, exploring new places together, and spent time with friends in Comanche. The family is grateful for Kathy’s love, support, involvement, and care for Gary, particularly in his final years.

Gary loved Kathy’s daughters, Amanda and Cassie, and mourned with Kathy at the premature passing of Amanda. The family has been overwhelmed and amazed by Kathy’s dedication and care for Gary, and words may fail to fully express their gratitude.

Kathy was a caring and supportive partner in Gary’s interests, from his political career, which included Empowering Seniors and the Transportation Summit, to his passion for hunting. She loved meeting and greeting people at events as much as Gary did, and their families blended perfectly.

In 2025, Gary and Kathy created the Gary Fickes Osteopathic Medicine Endowed Scholarship at Sam Houston State University.

“The best move I ever made” came in 1978, when Gary left the Houston area and moved to the Southlake area. The family ultimately settled on Kimball Avenue, overlooking the quiet countryside of Southlake.

His political career began in Southlake, where he served on the Planning & Zoning Commission, City Council, and later as Mayor from 1989 to 1996. He insisted that Southlake’s success was the result of the tireless effort put in by council members and City staff in the comprehensive planning process. He was just proud to be a part of the work.

In 2006, Gary decided to run for the unexpired term of the current Precinct 3 Commissioner, Glen Whitley, who had moved to the position of County Judge. That began 18 years of service to Tarrant County, which included a strong focus on transportation and economic development, as well as improving access to services for senior citizens.

From the outset, Gary recognized that enhancing transportation led to economic development, which in turn yielded numerous benefits for communities. At one time, more than $7.5 billion in road projects were ongoing within the boundaries of Precinct 3 (not including the DFW Airport construction). This exceeded the construction expenditures of 35 states. The DFW Connector, the North Tarrant Express, Loop 820 Expansion, and the I-35W lane additions from downtown Fort Worth to the north all fell under his time of service, and he was an ardent advocate for the impact they would have on the region.

Gary also chaired TEX-21, which stood for Transportation Excellence for the 21st Century. He was an in-demand speaker, traveling to 10 different states to share how collaboration and advocacy had resulted in numerous transportation projects.

In 2010, Gary hosted the inaugural Northeast Tarrant Transportation Summit (later renamed the Tarrant Transportation Summit). Fifteen years later, the summit remains the largest and most influential transportation event in North Texas, attracting statewide and national industry leaders to address topics such as the future of infrastructure, emerging technologies, and future transportation logistics.

His passion for bringing resources together led to his most significant achievement. In early 2009, Gary and his team brought together a focus group of senior service and healthcare leaders and asked how Tarrant County could best serve them. With their help and guidance, Gary and his team recruited sponsors to underwrite the inaugural Empowering Seniors Health & Lifestyle Expo, with a capacity of 300 attendees, at The Hills Church in Richland Hills on Friday, October 2, 2009.

The demand was so overwhelming that he relocated the event the following year to Campus West in Bedford and expanded it to accommodate more than 3,000 attendees.

Inspired by Gary’s success, Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley created a countywide event, Senior Synergy, held at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth. The Empowering Seniors event continued to grow and moved to the Hurst Conference Center for the past two years before merging with the Senior Synergy event, which serves seniors across the County.

Upon his retirement, the County chose to name the Precinct 3 Sub-courthouse in Hurst in his honor – the Gary Fickes Northeast Courthouse.

Area mayors have praised him from within his precinct and beyond because he forged collaborations among Tarrant County, the Texas Department of Transportation, the North Central Texas Council of Governments, regional transportation coalitions, and local municipalities.

At one time, Gary had more than $7.5 billion in road projects within his precinct (not counting construction at DFW International Airport). The amount allocated to his area exceeded the total construction expenditure in 35 states!

Gary also chaired TEX-21, which stood for Transportation Excellence for the 21st Century. He was an in-demand speaker, traveling to 10 different states to share how he created “The Gary Fickes Magic Dust,” which resulted in numerous transportation projects.

Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare described Gary as “a true public servant whose long and respected career is leaving a lasting impact on the people of North Texas. His dedication to community service is unmatched.”

Gary chose not to run for re-election and supported Matt Krause, who went on to win the election to succeed him. Commissioner Krause said on social media that his predecessor was “a selfless public servant and a tireless worker for his constituents.” Former Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price said, “Gary was respected for bringing together people with broad interests for the common good. He was less concerned with their political perspectives than he was with their willingness to get things done and make a positive difference.” Former Tarrant County Precinct 1 Commissioner Roy C. Brooks spoke of his longstanding friendship and respect for Gary Fickes: “Gary was always the consummate gentleman. He was a statesman, and he knew how to get along with people, with the objective of getting the deal done in the best interest of all the people. ”He adds, “I taught Gary how to tie and wear a bow tie, so that’s one form of our collaboration and friendship. Most importantly, he was my friend during a politically tumultuous time in Tarrant County and America, where people from different parties were discouraged from even speaking with each other. At the end of the day, we liked and respected each other, and we valued our friendship.”

Southlake Mayor Shawn McCaskill praised Gary: “We have lost a true public servant with the passing of my friend Gary Fickes, who served as Mayor of Southlake and Tarrant County Commissioner. Gary helped build Southlake and was instrumental in so many road and infrastructure projects in Tarrant County. It was an honor to present Gary with a city proclamation and street sign at his retirement party.”

Grapevine Mayor William D. Tate described Gary as “the kind of leader every community hopes for – visionary, dedicated, and deeply compassionate. His work helped shape the future of Southlake and North Texas, but what set Gary apart was his heart for people. He served not for recognition, but because he cared. His legacy extends not only to what he built but also to the countless lives he touched along the way. Hurst Mayor Henry Wilson shared, “Commissioner Fickes has always taken the citizens of Hurst and Tarrant County to his heart, and he was an amazing servant to the public. He made it smooth for the City and Tarrant County to work well together. He was a great leader who will be hard to replace.”

Former Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley described Gary as “A great partner for the 16 years we were on court together. He was a leader at the local, state, and national levels for transportation, and he always had his constituents at heart, as we saw with Empowering Seniors, which I copied and held on the west side of the county. His goal was to be a good and great public servant. And he was.”

Tarrant County District Clerk Tom Wilder said, “You really find out about a person when you go on a deer hunt together, and Gary was the same kind of person on a hunt as he was working in civic affairs. I was pleased to have hunted with him for over 20 years. If he could have chosen where to pass away, it would have been there at his ranch.”

Former North Richland Hills Mayor Oscar Trevino stated, “Working with Gary was both a privilege and a pleasure. His integrity and heart for service were unmatched. He leaves behind a legacy our region will not forget.” Mike Berry, President of Hillwood, said, “Gary never sought the spotlight, calling himself ‘just a little cog in a bigger wheel.’ But we all knew better. His more than three decades of service left a lasting mark on Southlake, Tarrant County, and North Texas as a whole. His leadership in transportation will be felt for generations.” His neighbor and close friend, Conrad Heede, said, “I have known Gary for almost 50 years and considered him my closest friend. He was a joy to be with while working, playing, or serving others. I join many others in saying how much we enjoyed and appreciated his warm personality, his wisdom, his dedication, and the generosity with which he shared his time, talents, and resources. He will be sorely missed.” While many know him for his service as a County Commissioner or Mayor, he was actually an entrepreneur for much of his working life. He started a graphics design company called Identitec Sign & Graphics. The office joke was to count which name was misspelled or mispronounced more – Identitec or Fickes.

Gary and his long-time friend, John Dorety, later started the Fickes Dorety Development Company. This endeavor brought a great deal of joy, as it provided the opportunity to build, develop, justify ranch purchases, and be creative with business ideas. It was more successful than his later restaurant ventures.

When the family’s good friend, Don Ramey, owner of La Casa Mexican Café in Grapevine, passed away. Gary and several friends bought the restaurant and took it over to keep the doors open. The ownership group then opened another Mexican restaurant, Banderas, in Keller. While both were great places to eat, the restaurant business proved to be difficult, and they both eventually closed. For years, Gary would invite visitors to Comanche to dine on the most expensive plates he ever bought – the ones he took when the restaurants closed.

Gary was also interested in the banking world. His close friend, Barry Emerson of Texas National Bank (now First Financial), brought him into the banking world. He later opened Peoples Bank (now Simmons First National) with several investor friends. He has served generously in community organizations that included being a Scoutmaster for his sons’ Troop 700 and serving on the board of the Northeast Leadership Forum. He was also proud to be appointed by Governor Rick Perry to serve on the Governor’s Economic Development Committee. Additionally, Gary served as a Board Member for the Texas Health Resources Health System; he served as Chairman of the Tarrant Regional Transportation Coalition; he served as Chairman of the Regional Transportation Council of the North Central Texas Council of Governments; and he served as the Chairman of the Southlake Chamber of Commerce (twice). Gary was both a Rotarian and a Lion – quite an unusual combination. He was a member of the Colleyville Lions Club and the Rotary Club of Grapevine, where he was a Paul Harris Fellow. The Rotarians met at lunch on Wednesdays, and the Lions roared during breakfast on Fridays.

He admired and lived the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self” both personally and professionally. After connecting with the Rotary Club of Acuna, Mexico, the Rotary Club of Grapevine undertook over a decade of service and aid. On one occasion, the Grapevine Rotary helped deliver a new ambulance and an 18-wheeler containing medical equipment. During a flash flood on the Rio Grande, Gary coordinated a supply drive for those displaced in Acuña. This effort resulted in an 18-wheeler full of donated supplies along with a convoy of trucks filled with additional resources that he led down to Acuna.

As Mayor of Southlake, he also became a supporter of the Sister Cities program. Southlake paired with Tome City, Japan (formerly Toyoma), and he made several trips as part of a delegation. The family also hosted students and visitors from Tome over many years. The City later partnered with El Fuerte, Mexico, a town Gary discovered on a train trip through central Mexico.

In 2007, Gary started to become very ill with severe liver failure due to a hereditary condition. Gary’s longtime friend David Dean shared that they were traveling in Europe in 2007 when Gary experienced liver complications. Gary immediately returned home and met with surgeon Dr. Phil Berry, who diagnosed his critical need for a liver transplant, and later performed that procedure at Methodist Hospital in Dallas.

On February 16, 2008, the night of his son Corey’s wedding to Kacey, Gary was admitted into Methodist Hospital in Dallas for a liver transplant. Surgeons projected the new liver would last 10 years. Gary was blessed with a bonus seventeen additional years, and he invested all of that time in his community and public service.

In 2017, Gary wed Kathy Nicholson, who loved and cared for him until the end. They travelled the world, exploring new places together, and spent time with friends in Comanche. The family is grateful for Kathy’s love, support, involvement, and care for Gary, particularly in his final years. Gary loved Kathy’s daughters, Autumn and Cassie, and mourned with Kathy at the premature passing of Autumn. There is no doubt that Kathy was fully responsible for him having so many extra years of joy as she cared for him. She escorted him to his favorite place in the world – the family property in Comanche – as his health began to decline. Taking him on rides around the property and to dinner on Friday with their close friends who lived in the area. The family has been overwhelmed and amazed by her dedication and care, and words may fail to fully express their gratitude.

We hope Gary will be remembered for a lifetime of service, adventure, fellowship, family, and bringing people together to solve problems. His accessibility and comfort in reaching those outside his typical circle set him apart. With a lifetime of impactful service, he has been a model for all and a personal mentor to many. His family will remember him for inspiring them to love travel, serving our community, and showing up when invited. His grandchildren have loved learning to fish, camp, and enjoy nature with him and were always excited when he showed up at a school event, play, or performance.

Among the honors he received were:

• 1990: Southlake Citizen of the Year

• 2002: Northeast Leadership Forum Distinguished Leadership Award

• 2004: TxDOT Road Hand Award

• 2009: Leadership Fort Worth graduate

• 2011: Clyde Mooney Award – the HEB Chamber’s highest honor

• 2013: Fort Worth Business Press Healthcare Hero

• 2014: Southlake Style Community Impact Award

• 2017 and 2020: Bill Ridgway Spirit of Enterprise Award from the HEB Chamber of Commerce

• 2023: Fort Worth Inc Magazine: One of Fort Worth’s Most Influential People

• 2024: Leadership in Mobility – renamed the Gary Fickes Leadership Award

Gary Fickes was preceded in death by his father, Dr. Kenton Reece Fickes, and his mother, Annie Loree Luker Fickes, as well as his stepdaughter, Autumn Nicholson. He is survived by his wife, Kathy Fickes; son Chris Fickes; son Corey Fickes and his wife Kacey; daughter Jenny Styers and her husband Alex; stepdaughter-in-law Amy Holland; stepdaughter Cassandra DeMora and her husband Steve; granddaughter Evelyn Fickes and grandson Jack Fickes; his brother Ken Fickes and wife, Sally Slomer; and sister Pam and her husband Jonathan Miller, and extended family. He is also survived by his first wife, Robin Fickes Harper, and his second wife, Catherine Lee Bell Fickes.

The Fickes family is extremely grateful to Dr. Jeffrey Weinstein from Methodist Hospital in Dallas and Dr. Marc Chapman at Texas Health Harris Methodist HEB in Bedford for their compassionate care for Gary.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to celebrate Gary’s enthusiasm for the Rotary Club of Grapevine, the Lions Club of Colleyville, the Gary Fickes Osteopathic Medicine Endowed Scholarship at Sam Houston State University, the Longhorn Council of the Boy Scouts of America, or LifeGift.

Note: The Fickes family has been overwhelmed and humbled by the numerous heartwarming comments they received from family members and friends as tributes to Gary. Please visit the Legacy.com website for Grover Garland “Gary” Fickes.

A memorial gathering for Grover will be held Sunday, July 20, 2025 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home, 5725 Colleyville Boulevard, Colleyville, Texas 76034. A memorial service will occur Monday, July 21, 2025 at 2:00 PM at Hurst Conference Center, 1601 Campus Drive, Hurst, TX 76054.