Billie Marion Parks Hickman

Billie Marion Hickman passed on to her final destiny on Thursday, May 5, 2011 at Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Temple. Billie was born on September 13,1922, the only child of William S. (Bill) and Fern Blocker Parks in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She was a gifted writer who took joy in her persuits as a free lance writer for several magazines and periodicals. In her early life, she was the Editor of the San Benito News, in San Benito in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. She met and married the love of her life, Edward Frank Hickman, while she was pursuing her studies at Baylor University. Together they lived in the Rio Grande Valley as they began their life together and brought forth their first child, Edward Frank Hickman, Jr. Tragically "Little Ed" was not destined to mature, and he died in his mother's arms at the age of only one month. Wounded, but determined to overcome their loss, Ed and Billie later adopted two children into their warm and loving family.

Billie excelled at everything she attempted, graduating from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1960. While she worked at her trade of journalism and teaching, she managed to fulfill all requirements for a Master of Communications Degree at the University of Texas-Austin in 1973. Billie and Ed, with their young family, ultimately settled in Killeen where she taught social studies and journalism as the Chairperson of the Social Studies Department of Killeen High School and later moved to C.E. Ellison High School until 1983. She was selected, in 1983, to be the first Director of Communications for the Killeen Independent School District, a position that she held until her retirement in 1985. Billie was selected four times for Honorable Recognition as Journalism Teacher of the Year, and in 1970 she was named as the Killeen High School Teacher of the Year.

Billie served as the Texas State Teachers' Association District President from 1964-1965, and she also was a member of the Texas Classroom Teachers' Association. She was Local President of the American Association of University Women from 1971 to 1973. She has also held membership with the American Heart Association. Billie was a faithful congregant of the First United Methodist Church of Killeen.

Billie was preceded in death by her mother and father, William S. (Bill) and Fern Blocker Parks; her devoted husband of more than sixty years, Edward Frank Hickman; and her infant son, Edward Frank Hickman, Jr. She is survived by a daughter, Bonnie R. Novack; a son, William E. Hickman; and a son-in-law, Lt. Col (Ret.) Conrad A. Novack. She is further survived by grandchildren Shawn Skirvin, Edward Skirvin, Glen Skirvin, Brian Hickman, Alicia Hickman, Barrett Novack, Edward Novack, and Conrad Novack, Jr. Her great-grandchildren are Alec Skirvin, Adam Skirvin, Vaughn Skirvin, Ashton Skirvin, David Robles, Rene Ordonez, Moises Ordonez, Joshua Ordonez, Taylor Novack, Kainani Novack, and Kekoa Novack. She is also survived by one great-great granddaughter, Isabella Robles.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home, 1615 S. Fort Hood Road. Visitation will be on Monday, May 9, 2011 from 6:00-8:00 PM. Funeral services will be held at First United Methodist Church, 3501 E. Elms Road on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 11:00 AM, with interment to follow immediately at Killeen Memorial Park.

Arrangements entrused to Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home in Killeen.

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