JL Hicks, age 88, of Leesville, La. passed away on Friday, Jan. 5, 2024. The last and youngest member of a family of seven. He was born in Leesville, La. Dec. 11, 1935 to parents William Roscoe “W. R.” Hicks and Mattie Elizabeth Nessmith Hicks. 

JL enlisted in the U.S. Army on Jan. 29, 1959. He served with the Sixth Armoured Cavalry as an Artilleryman in Ft Knox, Ky., His awards include the Army Good Conduct medal. He obtained the rank of Specialist Four, and was honorably discharged on Jan. 28, 1961 from active duty. He served another four years in the reserves ending on Jan. 28, 1965. He also worked for Mullers, JCPenney, West Brothers for 19 plus years, and Boise Cascade.

JL was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Helen Lorena Roberts Hicks; his parents, and four brothers, JD, Russell, Jack Raymond, and TC.

Those left to cherish his memories include his six children, Richard Steve and wife, Debora, of Jayess, Miss., Bruce Dale and wife, Julia, of Ocala, Fla., Norma Gale and husband, Jeff Leiby, of Murphy, N.C., Brenda Lynn and husband, Ray Bynog, of Leesville, La., Denise Jane and husband, Scott Hughes, of Calabasas, Calif. and Kelly Renee and friend, Matthew Morris of Rockvale, Tenn.. In addition to 16 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.

JL’s last request was that you would be left with this message from him.

“The soul of a man NEVER dies. You cannot buy yourself or someone else into Heaven; you cannot be prayed or bought out of Hell. We preach our own funeral! As God’s word says, “Life is but a vapor” we should do our part to make it to Heaven. We are to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. I believe it means that with all our being, the corpse, body or car, so to speak, is the mobile unit that carries the soul, spirit and mind around while on this earth. The body, once dead is empty, but life goes on Forever! The journey has just begun at mans physical death on earth. Man’s spirit (life) is not in this world, it’s in God’s, after this physical death. The message (sermon) today is for the living, not for the dead.

Funeral services were held at J. E. Hixson & Sons Funeral Home of Lake Charles, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 JL’s final resting place is Cooper Cemetery in Pickering, La. Pallbearers for services are Steve Hicks, Brett Hicks, Trenton Brazie, Creighton Thurman, Ethan Castaneda, Brett Coker, Michael Kay, and Jonathan Phillips.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy for the Hicks family may be expressed at www.hixson funeralhomes.com