Charles Hicks
Charles William “Charley” Hicks, 92, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, went to be with the Lord on Monday, April 22, 2019.
Charley Hicks was born in Chattanooga on March 21, 1927. As a child, Charley was a member of the young boys’ baseball “Knothole team.” They would often ride their bikes down to Engel Stadium to watch the baseball games. When in elementary school at Sunnyside School, he had a newspaper and magazine route. He loved sharing stories about delivering milk on his bicycle, making enough on those early morning routes for a “tasty” Moon Pie and a Double-Cola.
Charley graduated from Central High School in 1945, where he was a member of the basketball team and received a basketball scholarship to Georgia Tech. From there he transferred to the University of Chattanooga. Following his college education, he was employed by Peerless Woolen Mills and played on their basketball team in the Southern Textile League. He enjoyed that time playing for Coach Walt Lauter, whom he considered to be both a good and demanding coach and teacher.
Charley met his wife Beatrice (Bea) Fox while working at Peerless. He served in the U.S. Army, 101st Airborne in Jackson, SC during the Korean War. Upon discharge, Charley and Bea started Hicks Insurance Agency in Rossville, Ga. Charley sold insurance from 1954-2019. On April 15, 2019, they celebrated their 70th year of marriage.
Charley was a devoted student of the Bible and was very active in Christian service. He served many years as a deacon of First Presbyterian Church and was involved in prison ministry. As a young adult, he was a member of the Navigators, a discipleship organization that mentored him for a lifetime of Scripture memorization. He also served on a team that was instrumental in bringing WMBW, a Christian radio station, to Chattanooga. Charley was very involved through the years in CBMC (Christian Business Men’s Connection). He is most remembered for his compassion and kindness toward others. Because of this he had many "grandkids" in addition to his own family who looked up to him as "PaCharley.”
“PaCharley” loved his family and cared for them well. He is survived by his wife Beatrice Fox Hicks; daughter Janet Hicks Joujan Milanesi (husband Lou); son Gary Hicks (wife Athena); five grandchildren and their families: Anna Joujan Goss (husband Peter); Helen Joujan Mertens (husband Marian, children: Teddy, Benny); Alex Joujan (wife Lauren, children: Chloe, Dawson, Teagan); Ian Joujan (wife Jessie, children: Theresa, Gwen, Faith, Maureen, Dave); Jason Milanesi (wife Heather, son Aiden); and many nephews, nieces, cousins, friends, and adopted children and grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents Leslie Hicks and Lillian Rogers Hicks; brother Jimmy Hicks; and sister Charlotte Hicks Brunson.
A committal service will be at Chattanooga National Cemetery on Monday, April 29, at 12:30 p.m.
The Reverend Chris Ehlers will conduct a Celebration of Life at 2:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church. The family will receive friends from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in the church as well as after the Celebration.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to First Presbyterian Church, CBMC, or Bible in the Schools.
Arrangements are by Covenant Funeral & Crematory, Crox family owned and operated, www.CovenantFuneral.com.