George Washington Hicks Sr., died Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, at his home due to cardiopulmonary arrest.
Born Feb. 15, 1934, in the Bloomville community of Clarendon County, he was a son of Allen and Lucille Bradshaw Hicks.
As a youngster, farming was his passion, as he lived and worked on the family farm. This would foreshadow his later and greatest career achievement. George attended Clarendon County public schools. He became a man of tremendous faith as a result of his introduction to the love of Jesus Christ at Holly Hill Missionary Baptist Church, where he was baptized as an adolescent.
As an adult, he joined Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church and was ordained as a deacon in 1971. George was a member of the largest and oldest fraternity in the world, the Masonic fraternity.
George learned the importance of hard work and persevering by working on his family farm. This experience instilled a strong work ethic, which allowed him to excel in life with much success. His first job away from the farm was with Clarendon Memorial Hospital. Due to his love for his country, he then decided to join the United States Army. While in the Army, he was stationed in Seattle, Washington, and Honolulu, Hawaii.
After five years of service, he received an honorable discharge. George's employment history included Freeman Mills, South Carolina Department of Transportation and the Sunbeam Plant, where he was employed in 1966. While at Sunbeam as an assembly line worker, his leadership abilities, ambition and strong work ethic were recognized.
This led to his promotion as a supervisor, which made him the first African-American supervisor in the plant. He worked in this capacity for 25 years. When the plant closed, it was then that the joy of farming reclaimed him. In 1996, George founded Hicks Farms, a swine and cattle farm, which was one of the largest farms in the state of South Carolina.
In December 1955, George married his high school sweetheart, the love of his life and soulmate, the former Ada Sharps. They shared a love of God, travel, entertaining friends and cooking. Their favorite activity was barbecuing hogs. George was well known for creating tantalizing pork covered with a special Hicks sauce. From this union, four children were born, Janice, Wanda, George Jr. and Melody.
George and Ada were parted by death after 43 years of marriage in 1999.
George was a cherished light in the lives of his family. A religious man, he loved fiercely, quailed for nothing, and believed forcefully in the importance of possessing a strong work ethic.
Survivors include his children, Janice (Ronald) Rivers of Manning, Wanda (Matthew) Drake of Clarksburg, Maryland, George (Daphne) Hicks Jr. of Pinewood and Melody (Torrance) Williams of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; six grandchildren, Dr. Jessica (Robert) Allen of Greenville, North Carolina, Megan Michelle Rivers of Mount Pleasant, Matthew Jamal Drake of Hampton, Virginia, Deanna Ada Hicks of Pinewood and Joshua Brady Williams and Sarah Hailey Williams, both of Harrisburg; a great-grandson, Robert James Allen III; a sister, Susan Hicks Dunbar of Brooklyn, New York; two brothers, Levan (Genevieve) Hicks of Greensboro, North Carolina, and Isaiah (Hattie) Hicks of Sumter; his sisters-in-law, Sylvia Hicks of Milton, Florida, Earlene Hicks of Raleigh, North Carolina, and Inez Sharps, Meredith (Melvin) Benbow and Wilma (Preston) Stukes, all of Manning.
Masonic funeral rites will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017, at Hayes F. Samuels Sr. Memorial Chapel, 114 N. Church St. in Manning.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Hayes F. Samuels Sr., Memorial Chapel, 114 N. Church St. in Manning, with the Rev. Mitchell Adger as eulogist, assisted by the Rev. George P. Windley Sr. and the Rev. Elizabeth Richburg.
Burial will be at Scarborough Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 4 to 7 p.m. at the home, 1429 Candlelight Lane in Pinewood, to reminisce, pray and fellowship.
These services have been entrusted to Samuels Funeral Home LLC of Manning.
