Thomas Jefferson Hicks

Thomas Jefferson Hicks, 97, ascended into heaven on Oct. 30, 2023. He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Jean Nichol Hicks. He was also preceded in death by his parents, Joseph Walker Hicks and Lillie Herndon Hicks; by sisters Margaret Howerton, Catherine Hicks, Frances Barden and Doris Johnson; and brothers Leroy Hicks, Peter Hicks, Teddy Hicks, and Robert Hicks. He is survived by sons Greg Hicks (Bambi) and Jeff Hicks (Kelly), daughter Tina Hicks (Gary), his three grandsons, Dylan, Owen and Connor Hicks, and sister Emily Southard. Tommy was born on the family farm in Madison County, Va. on July 4, 1926, exactly 100 years after the death of former U.S. President Thomas Jefferson, who passed away on July 4, 1826. Born during the Great Depression, he spent his childhood at school, church and working on the family farm with his brothers, and hired hand Ed Walden. He developed many lifelong skills from his time on the farm, which came in handy when helping his children with repairs and projects around their homes over the years. Tommy was drafted into the US Army at 18 in 1944, during World War II. As a Corporal in Company D of the 38th Infantry Regiment, he had roles as a truck driver, guard patrolman, supply NCO, heavy mortar crewman and was in communications at Ft. Benning. He was part of an infantry battalion that was in Germany when the Nazis surrendered. He was then slated to travel to the Pacific theater but Japan surrendered before he arrived. He spent time after the war honing his baseball skills and playing on several semi-pro teams in both Orange, Va. and Madison, even trying out for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Tommy worked for the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company (now Verizon) for nearly four decades. His long career included stops in Culpeper, Va., Fredericksburg, Va., Orange and Richmond, Va. as well as Morristown, N.J. He also taught communications for the U.S. Navy in Norfolk, Va. But the bulk of his career was spent in Richmond from 1966 until retirement in the 1980s as part of C&P’s engineering department, and he later performed contract work for a variety of other telecommunications companies. Tommy's greatest joy was his family. His grandsons referred to him as "Paw Paw". “Paw Paw" and "Maw Maw" loved family gatherings and enjoyed spending time with the boys, and spoiling them. Tommy kept an impeccable vegetable garden which produced a bounty every summer, and he was always willing to share the delicious food that Jean prepared with family and friends. Watching the Washington Redskins became a Sunday ritual in the Hicks household, and rarely was a game missed. In his later years, Tommy became a caregiver to Jean as her health declined before her passing in December, 2017. Tommy will be remembered as a devoted husband, father, grandfather and friend. He was always positive and loved to make people laugh with jokes, and stories, and was well-known for his barnyard animal imitations that everyone who loved him enjoyed hearing him perform. A friend to all, he will be sorely missed. A celebration of Mr. Hicks’ life will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8 at Woody Funeral Home, 1771 N. Parham Rd.