John David Hicks

John David Hicks and Maxine Coats Hicks where reunited in heaven on Sunday, January 9, 2011 when John left this life at the McAlester Regional Health Center in McAlester at the age of ninety-three. Maxine passed away less than seven months ago on June 17, 2010 at the age of eighty-six, also in McAlester. The couple had shared sixty-three years of marriage prior to Maxineís passing. John was born on October 17, 1917 in Christopher, Illinois. He was the son of Hiram David and Edith Mamie (Gill) Hicks. Johnís parents passed away within a few weeks of each other in 1921 when John was four years old. He stayed with relatives for a while before he was finally raised by his Great Aunt Bailey. He was raised in Christopher and attended school there. When he was young, John could often be found pulling his little red wagon picking up coal that dropped from passing railroad cars. This coal was used to heat the home provided him by his aunt. John later graduated from Christopher High School in 1935 where he was voted most likely to succeed. Maxine was born September 26, 1923 in Grayville, Illinois. She was the daughter of George Edward and Cora (Page) Coats. Maxine grew up in Benton, Illinois and attended school there. Shortly after graduation from high school, John attended Citizensí Military Training Camp, Basic course of instruction at Jefferson Barracks in Missouri in 1935. He later enlisted into the service of his country in the United States Army and took basic training at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland. He arrived in England on Christmas Day, 1941 and was sent to Fontainebleau, France and after completing training there he received his commission as a second lieutenant, Infantry. He was assigned to the 11th Armored Division as Platoon Leader, Cavalry Assault Team and joined his platoon in the Alps Mountains just north of Vienna, Austria. He would serve in England, France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia. Toward the end of the war he was stationed in Bamberg, Germany, serving as prison camp commander of 3,800 Nazi SS troops. Most of the prisoners were officers, including 128 generals who were charged with war crimes. While in Germany he was attached to the company that liberated the Mauthausen prison camp. After leaving Bamberg at the end of the war, Lieutenant Hicks was assigned to the Nuremburg War Crimes Trials as a guard officer. He was actually present during the trials and execution of the top 21 German war criminals. John was honorably discharged on December 31, 1946 at Fort Sheridan, Illinois and received the following awards and decorations, American Theatre Ribbon, European, African, Middle Eastern Theatre Ribbon with two bronze battle stars, Occupation Ribbon (Germany) with five overseas service bars, and the WW2 Victory Medal John and Maxine were married on January 12, 1947 in Piggot, Arkansas. During that time both were employed in Chicago, Illinois, John working for Sunbeam and Maxine working for Hot Point. Soon John was called back into the Army for the Korean Conflict as a company commander. They resided at Fort Benning, Georgia, Camp Cook, California and Fort Lewis, Washington during this time. During this period of active military service, John was promoted to the rank of Captain. Following the end of the Korean Conflict and Johnís subsequent discharge, the couple moved to Salem, Illinois where John went to work for Bethlehem Supply Company. After a few years he went to work for Fluid Pack Pump Company in Grayville, Illinois. The couple was transferred to Graham, Texas for two years before finally moving to Hominy, Oklahoma with the Armco Steel Company. They resided in Hominy for twenty-seven years. During this time, Maxine was involved in the Youth Bowling League in Hominy and throughout eastern Oklahoma for many years. Her bowling prowess made her one of the top women bowlers in the state. John, an avid hunter and fisherman, was on of the Hominy Bucksí biggest fans. John and Maxine were both member of the First Baptist Church in Hominy. Maxine and John owned and operated the Hilltop Drive-In in Hominy for over eighteen years where they made many friends. After moving to Cleveland in 1988, they both accepted employment with Wal-Mart, John as a greeter and Maxine as snack bar department manager. They continued to work together at the local Wal-Mart until 2005. John and Maxine moved to McAlester to be closer to their daughter Pam and her family in 2008. The couple will be fondly remembered by family and friends throughout the Hominy and Cleveland area as a great example of a faithful and devoted marriage between two loving people that enjoyed life to fullest. They will be missed by all that knew them. Survivors are their daughter, Pam and her husband, Donald Edgerton of McAlester, Oklahoma; son, John David Hicks, Jr. of Laguna Vista, Texas; seven grandchildren, Stacey Hicks of Skiatook, Oklahoma, Don, Brad and Matt Edgerton, all of McAlester, Oklahoma, Kristina Hicks of Skiatook, Oklahoma, Courtney Harvel of Owasso, Oklahoma and Raina Bevins of Cleveland, Oklahoma; five great-grandchildren, Brittany, Kyra, James, Teagann and Bralin. John was preceded in death by his parents, Hiram and Edith Hicks and a special uncle, Bill Caldwell. Maxine was preceded in death by her parents, George and Cora Coats, two sisters and one brother. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm, Thursday, January 13, 2011 at the Chapman-Black Funeral Home with Rev. Greg Hall officiating. Military honors will be rendered by the Veterans of Foreign War Honor Guard at the A. J. Powell Memorial Cemetery in Hominy. Friends may share a memory with the family at the funeral home or online at www.chapman-black.com