Ray Hicks

Ray received his wings and departed this earth on October 10, 2022. Ray was born May 11, 1934, in Coyle, Oklahoma to Pearl Reece. At the age of 18 months, he was adopted by Marion and Lilly Hicks of Coyle, Oklahoma.

He accepted Jesus Christ at an early age. He graduated in 1952 from L’Ouverture High School in Meridian, Oklahoma with honors.

He served in the U.S. Army. He traveled over several states and to Germany and he received an Honorable Discharge on August 8, 1958.

In 1961, Ray met and married the love of his life, Elma Jean Holly, in Oklahoma City. They relocated to Washington D.C. in 1962. They had the honor and privilege of attending Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s March on Washington in 1963. Ray and Elma celebrated 60 years of marriage on August 6, 2022.

Continuing his education in Washington D.C. at Armstrong Education Center where he graduated from Prince George’s Community College in Largo, Maryland. Ray retired from the Bethesda National Naval Medical Center Maryland as the General Manager.

After relocating to Waco in 1992, Ray worked at Sears and Roebuck and Waco Independent School District. He was a member of The Church of the Living God. He participated in many duties at the church. He was the father of the Church.

He leaves to cherish his memory: his wife of 60 years, Mrs. Elma Jean Hicks; daughter, Gwendolyn Johnson; grandson, Dariyn Johnson; sisters-in-law, Selma Neal (Bennie), Glenda Thomas and Ethel Williams (Lynn); brother-in-law, Donald Holly (Pam); nieces and nephews whom he loved, Carol Beck, Pamela Dammons, Karimah Woodson, Patrick Foster, Kamilah Beck, Jordon Holly, Michael Foster, Holly Williams, Don Holly, Lyndon Williams, Charles Johnson Jr., CJ Johnson, DJ Johnson, Ty Woodson and Charlotte Brown; his special niece and nephew, Debra Flowers and John Reece; and his extended family; Maxine Stephen, Beverly Manning, Phyllis Roberts, Carolyn Campbell, Michael Morris, Dale Campbell of Arizona, Margie Nell Reese, and Earnest Reese.

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