Freddy Hickman

Freddy Wayne "Pete" Hickman died on Sunday, February 10, 2019 in Fort Stockton, Texas at the age of 92 years. Services will be held at the Fort Stockton church of Christ in Fort Stockton, at 1:00 PM on Monday, February 18, 2019.

Freddy Wayne "Pete" Hickman was born to Edward and Malindy Hickman on October 6, 1926, in Bronte, Texas. After attending grammar school in Edith, Texas, he graduated from High School in Robert Lee, Texas. While in high school, he played basketball, track, football, and baseball. In 1945, after being drafted by the U. S. Army and completing basic training in Fort Hood, Texas, he was sent to Japan and served in the Army of Occupations for 14 months. He worked in General MacArthur's Headquarters decoding messages and played on the Army of Occupations football team. When he returned after WWII in 1947, he attended San Angelo Junior College on a football scholarship. In 1950, he attended North Texas State University on a football scholarship. While at North Texas, he met Betty Carroll Bennett, and they married on September 26, 1952. Their children are Terry born in 1953, Grant, born in 1962, and Holly, born 1967. Pete coached in San Angelo, Sanderson, and Ozona, before moving to Fort Stockton in 1965. He served on the state board of the Texas High School Coach's Association from 1963-1965.

Pete and Betty Hickman moved to Fort Stockton on July 11, 1965, when Pete took over the duties of head football coach and athletic director at Fort Stockton High School. After three years as head coach, Pete left that position, entered the dry cleaning business, and sold Whirlpool appliances. In 1969, he became a licensed real estate agent. Pete reentered the teaching field in 1970, teaching science at Fort Stockton Junior High School. He continued to sell real estate with Fort Stockton Insurance and Real Estate after selling the dry cleaning establishment and became a broker in 1976. Pete built and sold several houses in Fort Stockton and Alpine in the early 1970's and became a partner in the Windmill Western Wear which opened in May, 1976. Pete implemented the ISS and Juvenile Detention programs for Fort Stockton ISD, which became a model for other Texas school districts, before his retirement from FSISD in 1984. In 1990, Pete joined the Century 21 Team (under the ownership of Clayton Alexander, Roy Armstrong, and most recently, Bob Sadler). While Terry, Grant, and Holly were in high school, Pete was active in the Fort Stockton FFA program. He was an active member of the Fort Stockton Evening Lions Club from 1964-2010 and was the President in 1976.

Pete and Betty are active members of the Fort Stockton church of Christ and enjoy their service, worship, and fellowship with their church family.

Pete loved and enjoyed his family, visiting with his friends/former students, and ranching. He leased the Maude S. Saenger ranch for four years and has continued his love of ranching on the "Reed Country" (as he calls it) since 1985. A perfect day would be spent with his family, telling his favorite jokes/stories to his friends (you know them!), and honking his truck horn to signal his horses and cattle that he is near (with food!). Pete would tell you that we need more religion and patriotism today. He is proud to have served in the US Army and to be an American Citizen. He loved life, used his humor and wit to entertain, was a man of his word, and earned the respect of students, players, coaches, and friends. Pete was most thankful for his relationship with our loving God, his marriage of sixty-six years with his bride, Betty, and his family.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Malindy Hickman; his brothers, Ed Hickman and John Hickman; his sisters, Ruth Sandusky, Lee Richards, Georgia Higginbotham, and Willie "Bill" Trimble.

He is survived by his wife, Betty Carroll Bennett Hickman; his sons, Terry W. Hickman and his wife Vivian of Fort Stockton, and D. Grant Hickman and his wife, Shawndi, of Fort Stockton; his one daughter, Holly Hickman Jones and her husband, David of Kerrville; his grandchildren, Jeremy Hickman and wife Desi of Kerrville, Jeffry C. Hickman of Sanderson, J.J. and his wife, Brooke, of Midland, Austin Hickman of Monahans, Hattie Fairley and husband Blake of Lucedale, MS, Emma Hickman of Lucedale, MS, Annabella Hickman of Lucedale, MS, Ryan K. Jones of Kerrville, Carson B. Jones of Kerrville, and Cade H. Jones of Kerrville; his great grandchildren, Elizabeth Hickman of Kerrville, Alyssa Hickman of Kerrville, Colt Hickman of Midland, Harlynn Hickman of Odessa, Owen Fairley of Lucedale, MS; many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

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