Hunter McDonald Hicks, Jr., 89, of Athens and Ten Mile, passed away on Tuesday, May 17, 2016, following a brief illness. Hunter was born on September 2, 1926 in Chattanooga, TN.
He was the eldest son of Hunter McDonald Hicks, Sr. and Julia Reagan Hicks. Hunter was preceded in death by his dear wife of 64 years, Mary Jack Marks Hicks. Mary Jack died on December 14, 2015.
Hunter's great-grandfather was General James H. Reagan, Militia of Tennessee. Hunter was a descendant of General William Lenoir of North Carolina, who fought in the Battle of Kings Mountain during the Revolutionary War and was one of the founders of the University of North Carolina. Gen. Lenoir's son, Major William B. Lenoir established the Lenoir City, TN area in 1810. Hunter's first ancestor in America arrived aboard the Mayflower in 1620.
Hunter was a member of Keith Memorial United Methodist Church. Browder Memorial United Methodist Church is the family church of the Reagan/Hicks family.
Hunter spent his early years in Cuba, where his father was an executive with the Cuban American Sugar Company. The Hicks family lived in Chaparra, Cuba, where one of the Company sugar mills was located. Some of his fondest memories were of hunting in Cuba with his father and others and fishing on his father’s boat in the Atlantic Ocean near Cuba. He attended elementary school in both Cuba and in Sweetwater, TN. While attending elementary school in Sweetwater, he stayed with his grandmother at Reagan Station, the family farm.
Hunter attended high school at Tennessee Military Institute in Sweetwater and then graduated from Sewanee Military Academy, Sewanee, TN. Upon graduation, he served in the United States Army during World War II. Upon leaving the service, he attended the University of Tennessee and graduated in 1951. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.
Hunter was an excellent engineer and owned and operated Hicks Tractor Company in Athens for many years. Upon leaving the tractor business, he was an executive in the hosiery industry.
Hunter had many good friends in the community. He always enjoyed hunt camp with his friends, including his last hunting trip at the Harlan Farm in Columbia, TN in November of last year. He enjoyed having his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren visit the family lake house on Watts Bar Lake.
He is survived by sons, Hunter (Don) McDonald Hicks,III and his wife Sharon of Ten Mile, TN, Mark Millard Hicks and wife Leslie of Collierville, TN, and Edward Dickson Hicks, V of Sweetwater, TN ; and daughter Elizabeth (Beth) Hicks Beaty and husband Rufus of Greenville, SC; grandchildren, Hunter McDonald Hicks, IV, Julia Marie Hicks, Maryann Kelly Hicks, Reagan Bruce Hicks, Reagan Lenoir Hicks Williams, and husband Curtis, Edward Dickson Hicks, VI, Grace Lenoir Beaty and Julia Elizabeth Beaty; great-grandchildren, London Williams and Charlotte Williams; a brother, Jim Hicks and wife Julia Ann of Thompson, GA; brother-in-law Dr. Thomas Marks and wife Mary Ann of Atlanta, GA; beloved niece and nephews.
The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 pm on Friday, May 20, at Smith Funeral Home in Athens.
A memorial service to celebrate the life of Hunter McDonald Hicks, Jr. will be held on Saturday, May 21 at 11 am at Keith Memorial United Methodist Church in Athens with Rev. David Graybeal officiating. A committal service will be at 10 am at County Line-Browder Memorial Cemetery south of Sweetwater on U.S. Highway 11.
Pallbearers will be Hunter McDonald Hicks IV, Edward Dickson Hicks VI, Jack Ewing, Les Jones, Tracey Simpson and Scottie Mayfield. Honorary pallbearers will be Speight Bird, Dr. Chris Maynard and Bob Carrier.
The family suggests that memorials be made to the County Line-Browder Memorial Cemetery, c/o Mr. John Sutton, 103 Duck Park Lane, Sweetwater, TN 37874.