Dr. L.G. Hicks, Jr. died Sunday September 25, 2011 after a long illness. He was born on May 18, 1925 in Godfrey, GA. to Loy Grover Hicks, Sr. and Flora Garrison Hicks. He grew up in Clarkesville, GA and graduated from Clarkesville High School in 1941. He attended Piedmont College and Young Harris College before joining the Navy in 1943. After the war, he finished school at the University of Georgia in 1948 and completed his medical training at the Medical College of Georgia in 1951.
L.G. was introduced to his wife-to-be at Piedmont College on a blind date set up by his best friend, Charles Clement and Charles girlfriend, Jill Hayden. He married Winnie Claire Murphy on June 25, 1949. He and Wynk lived in Augusta, GA while he completed his MD degree, then moved to Spartanburg, SC for his internship. He returned to Habersham County in 1952 to practice family medicine, forming Habersham Medical group with Dr. Thomas Lumsden, Dr. Lee Walker, and Dr. Charles Henry in 1955; he continued in this practice for 50 years, retiring in June, 2003.
He was a member of Clarkesville Baptist church and served as both a deacon and a trustee.
At Habersham Medical Center he held various offices including chief of staff and assistant chief of staff. He served for thirty years as the Chairman of the Board of Health for the Habersham County Health Department. Dr. Hicks was a life time member of the Georgia Academy of Family Practice. He received an honorary doctorate from Piedmont College in 1983.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Wynk Hicks, and his sister, Dr. Flora Sheffield.
Dr. Hicks is survived by five daughters: Murphy Henry and husband Red, Claire Hicks, MD, Argen Hicks and husband Mike Johnson, Nancy Pate and husband Rad, and Laurie Hicks, MD and husband David Tanner, MD. Seven grandchildren knew him as Big Daddy: Casey Henry, Chris Henry, Helena Herring, Mac Herring, Caroline Pate, Natalie Pate, and Andrew Tanner. He has one great grandchild, Dalton Whitfield Henry. He will be missed by many nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to thank the caregivers of Dr. and Mrs. Hicks for their love and care: Rita Holcomb, Helen Crowe, and Karen Alexander. Dr Hicks was blessed to spend his last few months in the home of Karen and Anthony Alexander and their sons Gus and Tristan.
Dr. L. G. was known throughout Clarkesville and the county as a caring physician, always ready with a shot of penicillin to cure most ills and a stick of fruit stripe gum to ease the pain. His children will cherish the memories of summer Thursday afternoons spent at Unicoi State Park, watermelons cooling in the creek, vacations on St. Simons, being waked up at 6:00 a.m. on snowy school mornings to be told gleefully that school was cancelled, learning to saw and split logs, his gigantic oatmeal cookies, and infinite games of pinochle.
Memorials may be sent to Clarkesville Baptist Church, Hospice of Northeast Georgia Medical Center, or United Way of Habersham County.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM, Wednesday, September 28, 2011 from the Clarkesville Baptist Church with interment to follow in Yonah Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 from 6
