Stella M. Hicks

Stella M. “Ann” Hicks, 87, of New Philadelphia, died peacefully surrounded by her family on Saturday, January 14, 2006 in Country Club Retirement Campus at Dover.Born January 20, 1918 in Barberton, Ohio, Ann was the daughter of Ukrainian immigrants, Anton and Anastasia Kiriluk. In 1936, she graduated from Coventry High School in Akron. It was here, in the Tuscarawas Valley in 1940 that she and her husband, H. Franklin Hicks married and raised a family. Together, they founded Hicks Coal and Hicks Industrial Roofing.During World War II, Ann worked at the canteen in Dennison. As a member of the community, she became involved in the newly organized Union Hospital Grey Lady program, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Towpath Garden Club, Historical Society, Tuscarawas County Homemakers, YMCA, and various art painting groups..A Sunday School teacher and a lifetime member of First Christian Church in New Philadelphia, her passion for sharing God’s word touched the lives of people of all ages. Ann also was active in the Circle and Bible Study at First Christian Church.One of her favorite pastimes was sharing her love of the outdoors, especially fishing with her grandchildren.Mother, grandmother and great grandmother will be dearly missed by her children, Dennis (Margaret) Hicks of New Philadelphia, Dawn (Fred) Kinsey of New Philadelphia and Dwain (Elizabeth) Hicks of New Philadelphia; grandchildren, Mike (Beth) Hicks of New Philadelphia, Michele (Mark) Hughes of Olive Branch, Mississippi, James (Lara) Hicks of Columbus, Kim Kinsey of Redondo Beach, California, Laura (Jesse) Henary of New Philadelphia, Fred Kinsey, Jr. of Columbus, Ben (Erin) Kinsey of Columbus, Justin Kinsey of Utah, Joey (Kim) Hicks of Colorado, Jon Hicks of San Francisco, California, Juliet Hicks of Huntington Beach, California, Phillip Hicks of Columbus and Andy Hicks of Columbus; great grandchildren, Drew Hicks, Alan Hicks, Cori Hicks, Emma Hicks, Logan Hicks, Anna Hicks, Ashton Hicks, Brayden Hicks, Antigone Kinsey, Kayla Henary, Julia Henary, and Hudson Hicks. She is also survived by a sister, Helen Klingler of Clinton, Ohio; brothers Lester (Jean) Hicks, Ward (Betty) Hicks, Virgil (Weneta) Hicks, Foster (Roberta) Hicks all of New Philadelphia, sisters-in-law, Grace (Tom) Kollar of New Philadelphia, Ellen Hicks of New Philadelphia, Evelyn of Columbus and Lemay Kiriluk of Florida; brother-in-law, Jerry Ferrell of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, cousin Victor Dyachuk of Miami, Florida, many nieces and nephews and close friends, Waneta Ball, Overton and Selma Brown and Erika Hromadka.Ann was preceded in death by her husband, Frank Hicks who died in 2002, sister and brother-in-law, Olga and Tom Sherbarth; brothers, John Kiriluk and his wife Reba, Andrew Kiriluk and Warren Klinger; brothers-in-law, Bill Hicks and Royce Moore and sister-in-law, Mary FerrellAnn’s family would like to thank all of the care givers and staff at Country Club Retirement Campus who genuinely comforted and loved her during her stay.Visitation will be held on Wednesday, January 18, 2006 from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home & Crematory at New Philadelphia. A funeral service celebrating Ann’s life will be held on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. in the Linn-Hert-Geib Chapel with Pastor Jim Borton and David Lorah officiating. Following the service a memorial reception will be held in the Geib Family Center at New Philadelphia. A graveside service will then be held at 2:30 p.m. in Evergreen Cemetery at New Philadelphia.Memorial contributions may be made in Ann’s memory to Hospice of Tuscarawas County.