Mary Hicks

After a long and fruitful life, Mary Birge (Kohn) Hicks died peacefully and surrounded by love on October 13,2022 at the age of 99.

She leaves four children Neil Hicks (Beth Knoll); John Hicks; Louis Hicks (Patty Brown); and Robin Hicks, 10 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Mrs. Hicks was born on May 28, 1923, in Newberry, SC. Her parents, Hal Kohn and Verna Summer were a florist and piano teacher respectively. As a child she learned to play the piano. Music remained a life-long source of joy, comfort and inspiration. As a teenager, she met Will Hicks (Greenville, SC) through his sister who attended the same summer camp. Will was posted in the Navy to Boston where they reconnected and married in 1945. After moving to Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia for Navy work, they moved to Richmond, CA where Mary worked in a nursery school and gave birth to Neil (1948) while Will attended graduate school. After obtaining his Masters, they moved to Clemson, SC so Will could work at Deering Milliken textile mill. Mary bore two more sons, John (1950) and David (1953), before they moved in 1954 for work in Southbridge, MA at American Optical. Louis was born in 1958 by which time Will had started Mosaics. They adopted a daughter, Robin (born in 1963).

Mary attended Holy Trinity Episcopal Church serving in many capacities, including singing in the choir; teaching Sunday School; presiding over the women’s group; sitting on the vestry; leading the chapel for young children; and joining small prayer and Bible study groups. Mary learned to play the guitar when she was 48 in order to make it easier to lead monthly “Praise and Prayer” services at local nursing homes. She did this for 25 years. She served on the board of Catholic Charities and drove for the American Cancer Society. Mary was a member of Al-Anon. David died in 1977. Will and Mary divorced soon afterwards. Mary joined the first group of women the Episcopal Church allowed to become deacons. She was ordained in October of 1982 and continued to serve her parish and community until she was 94.

Mary enjoyed travel, sometimes coordinating trips with church ministries overseas. Countries she visited include: South Korea; China; The Central African Republic; France; Germany; the British Isles; and Canada.

Mary liked to laugh and retained her sense of humor even as her other senses faded. As she got older, she felt freer to enter a conversation with spontaneous quips. She was kind and generous. She enjoyed working in her gardens and was grateful for nature’s beauty.

A Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, October 16th at 3:00p.m. at Holy Trinity Church, 446 Hamilton Street, Southbridge, MA, 01550

In lieu of flowers, send donations to Holy Trinity Church, Southbridge.

Burial is private.

Belanger Bullard Funeral Home is directing arrangements.

An online guestbook is available at www.BelangerFuneralHome.com