Obituary of Johnny Odell Hickson

Johnny Odell Hickson, 85, was promoted to the Father's House on Tuesday, June 28, 2016. Memorial service to celebrate his life will be at 11:00 am, Saturday, July 2, at Gambrell Street Baptist Church, 1616 W Gambrell St., Fort Worth. Johnny was preceded in death by his first wife, Helen Carpenter Hickson; parents Johnnie and Desdia Sanders Hickson; daughter Joanna Seward; grandson Bryan Perry; and brothers Joe, Orville and Pat Hickson. He is survived by his wife of 27 years Norma Haynes Hickson; daughters Susan Hickson of Wilder, ID, and Deborah Hickson Perry [Ned] of Crowley, LA; daughters by marriage Cynthia Haynes Holmevik [Jan] of Clemson, SC, and Sherry Haynes McReynolds of Fort Worth; granddaughters Heather Perry Collard [Tim] of Wilder, ID, Jennifer Seward Whited [William] of Monroe, LA, and Heidi Perry Stallings [Ben] of Crowley, LA; granddaughters by marriage Jennifer Ardoyno [Toby], Brooke Granger [Dave], Cyndi Woodward [Shawn], and Jackie Parker; brother Wallace Hickson of Caldwell, TX, sister Cindy Mayberry of Fate, TX, and sister Barbara Sue Stapp of Garland, TX; 4 great-grandsons, 8 great-granddaughters; special nephews Danny Courtney of Anchorage, Alaska, and Brian Hickson of Austin, TX; and very special friends Vernon Thompson and Don McClard of Fort Worth. Johnny was a master storyteller, and never lacked for an audience who appreciated his story or joke, no matter if he had told it to them before! He was a man whose integrity was bone deep. After high school he worked as a telegraph operator for the railroad. Korea came along; he joined the Navy in 1950 and served in communications in Japan and Adak, Alaska. Discharged in 1954, he returned to College Station, met his first wife Helen Carpenter, accepted the Lord as his Saviour, married, returning to work at the railroad. He felt the call to preach and moved his family to Illinois to attend the Bible Missionary College, serving as assistant pastor of one church and pastorate in Texas City, TX. He struggled with the decision, but felt God's will that he leave the pastorate, then moving to Pasadena, TX, and starting work at Upjohn chemical plant [later became Dow Chemical]. His wife died in 1988, and later in that year at their high school reunion he remet school classmate from 7th grade thru graduation, Norma Jean Gibson Haynes. They married in 1989, had a commuting marriage from Houston to Fort Worth until his retirement in 1992 when he moved permanently to Fort Worth. They were blessed with 27 years together. All thru the years he was an avid hunter, gardener, beekeeper, wood whittler, storyteller, lover of nature, family man to his combined families, wonderful friend, and servant of his Lord, testifying of His love at any opportunity.