Gary W. Hicks, Sr.

Gary W. Hicks, Sr., 84, of Augusta, Kentucky passed away peacefully at his home on February 3, 2022.

He was born August 14, 1937, in Maysville, Kentucky, the second son of the late Stanley Stroud and Mary Ethel Mingua Hicks.

He graduated from Bracken County High School in 1955 and enrolled at the University of Kentucky, where he majored in agronomy. After earning his B.S. degree in 1959, he accepted a professional staff position in the UK College of Agriculture. On July18, 1959 he married Verla Ruth Burns, and the couple became the proud parents of four children.

After a successful career at the University of Kentucky, Gary and Verla and their family moved back to Bracken County in 1971, where Gary engaged in farming and home construction and remodeling.

Unfortunately, after many wonderful years together, raising and educating their children, Verla passed away in June 1997.

In January 1998, Gary married long-time family friend, Janice Ashcraft Weiss. In subsequent years, he and Janice worked together to remodel, build, and manage multiple rental properties in Bracken and Mason counties. Their efforts have provided affordable housing for many families in the area.

Gary was a member of the University of Kentucky by Alumni Association and a loyal UK basketball fan.

He was a long-time member of the Germantown Methodist Church and was responsible for planning and managing the church’s reconstruction after a disastrous fire in 1984.

Gary is survived by his children Gary Wayne Hicks, Jr. (Debra), of Falmouth, Kentucky; Melissa Ellen Hudson (Robert) of Greenville, North Carolina; and Amy Kay Tate (Keith) of Lakeland, Florida; grandchildren Cassandra Byers, Greenfield, Indiana; Marcus Tate of Lakeland, Florida, Leighton Hudson, Lexington, Kentucky; Nathan (Michele) Hudson, Richmond, Kentucky; Jeremiah (Casey) Hudson, Lexington, Kentucky, and great-grandson David Byers, Greenfield, Indiana. Also surviving are two sisters, Sue (Don) Whitaker, Muncie, Indiana, and Jennifer Rice, Augusta, Kentucky. He is also survived by five step-children and their families; John and Barbara Weiss, Mark and Anna Weiss, David and Dawn Weiss, Andrew and Angie Weiss, and Leanna and Mark Priest, eight step-grandchildren, Justin Weiss, Royse Hamilton, Travis Weiss, Trenton Weiss, Amanda Snelgrove, Katherine Butler, Spenser Weiss & Natalee Weiss, and 11 great grandchildren.

Besides his parents and his first wife, he was preceded in death by his daughter, Emily Ann Hicks, a brother, Stanley Anderson Hicks, two sisters, Mary Lou Hicks and Nancy Jane Hicks.

Funeral Services will be conducted at 2 pm, on Saturday, February 12, 2022, at the Germantown United Methodist Church with Rev. Kevin Courtney officiating.  Interment will follow in the Maple Grove Cemetery.  Serving as casket bearers will be Nathan Hudson, Jeremiah Hudson, Leighton Hudson, Travis Weiss, Trenton Weiss & Marcus Tate.  Visitation will be held from 12 noon – 2 pm on Saturday at the church.  Facemasks are recommended,

Expressions of sympathy are suggested to the Germantown United Methodist Church (P.O. Box #146, Germantown, KY 41044), the Emily Ann Hicks Endowed Scholarship Fund (Office of Annual Giving, University of Dayton, 300 College Park, Dayton, Ohio 45469-7056), and/or, the Hicks Family Scholarship Fund# 0705258400 (Sturgill Philanthropy Building, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40506-0015.  Palmer Funeral Home & Crematory of May’s Lick is serving the family.  Online condolences may be given at www.palmerfuneralhome.net    

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