Willie Mae Hickman

Willie Mae Hickman Kingsport - Willie Mae Hickman passed away December 28, 2017 at the Indian Path Medical Center in Kingsport after a lengthy illness. Mrs. Hickman was born on December 13, 1928 in Hawkins County Tennessee to the late Fess Hovis and Lucille Looney Hovis Swann. She attended Douglass High School in Kingsport and graduated from Austin High School in Knoxville. Later in life she attended East Tennessee State University and studied library science. She married her sweetheart, William V. Hickman Sr., upon his return from World War II. She and William "Bud" Hickman were married 72 ½ years. Prior to her declining health, Mrs. Hickman was a committed member of Waverly Road Presbyterian Church in Kingsport. Among Mrs. Hickman's church duties were Deacon, choir member, and a participant in the church's food pantry mission. She was a Girl Scout Troop leader for many years; a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, the WHY Committee, and the Eldora Society, a local social club. She was an Assistant Librarian for the City of Kingsport Public Library System for more than 30 years. She inspired numerous African American youngsters in the community to become enthusiastic readers. Mrs. Hickman was a proud matriarch who constantly stressed family harmony, educational, and career achievement. She often said that she was most proud that her children and younger siblings developed into generous, caring individuals. She loved reading and was known to read one to two books a week. She enjoyed cooking and working in her flower and vegetable gardens in the summer. Affectionately called "Mae" by her siblings, she was preceded in death by her brother Connie Benjamin Swann, and her grandmother and grandfather, Alice and Hurd Smith, with whom she lived during her formative years. She is survived by her selfless husband William Hickman and her four sons whom she idolized. They are William Varley, Jr., Rockford, Tennessee; George Donald (Janet), Maryville; James David (Vanessa), Mount Juliet, and Charles Gregory of the home. She is also survived by her former daughter-in-law, Beverly Hickman, Gadsden, AL. Mrs. Hickman has six adult grandchildren: Rocky Hickman (Donna), Rainbow City, Alabama, GJ Hickman, Knoxville; Alane Hickman-Hickman (Alexander), Atlanta, Georgia; Jamaal Hickman (Bridget); Gatlinburg; Jamie Hickman, Houston, Texas; and Maurice Henry (Tiffanie), Nashville. Her great grandchildren include Jamillah Hickman, Jalyn Hickman, Donovan Hickman, Destin Hickman, Drew Hickman, Dawn Hickman, Jayla Hickman, Amirah Hickman, Trevian Henry and Kaemon Henry. Her great great-grandchildren are Jada Izzy Hickman and Noah Brown. Mrs. Hickman is also survived by a devoted sister, caregiver, and best friend, Barbara Ann Greene (nee Hovis). Additionally, she has another sister, Marva Swann, Nashville, Tennessee; and two younger brothers, Carl Edward Swann, Kingsport; Vernon L. Swann (Mary Ruth), Grand Prairie, Texas. Other nieces and nephews and cousins are Wayne Hovis, David Greene, Sir David Pettus, Carl Swann, Jr., Germaine Swann, Lonnie Looney, Rhonda Brown, Bennie Bellamy, Stephanie Lynn, Singrid Martin, Tanisha Purcell, Mitchell Cooke, Kenneth Cooke, Christopher Cooke and Lajuan Swann. Mrs. Hickman is survived by her close sister in law, Melva L. Cooke, Riverside, California; nieces Jewell (Percy) Crowell, Keisha (Aaron) Edmonds, Baltimore, Maryland; and Deirdre Pettus, Oak Ridge. Mrs. Hickman was blessed to have numerous relatives and acquaintances in and around the Kingsport community during her lifetime. A few of those families include the Looney family, the Charles family, the Smith family, the Releford family and the Swafford family. The family will receive friends from 11:30 am until 1:00 pm Wednesday, January 3, 2018 at Carter-Trent Funeral Home in Kingsport. The memorial services will follow at 1:00 pm. in the funeral home chapel. Entombment will follow the service at Oak Hill Memorial Park (Mausoleum #1), 800 Truxton Drive, Kingsport, Tennessee. Grandsons and great-grandsons will serve as pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Alzheimer's Association, 207 N Boone Street Suite 1500, Johnson City, TN 37604. A special thanks to CNA Shamrock McClellan for the many hours of service she rendered to Mrs. Hickman. Also, thank you to the medical professionals on the fourth and fifth floors at Indian Path Hospital for the care of our loved one. Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.cartertrent.com. Carter-Trent Funeral Home, downtown Kingsport is serving the Hickman family.