- Date Of Birth: January 18, 1924
- Date Of Death: May 12, 2016
- State: Texas
Marilyn Lu Larner Hicks passed away on Thursday, May 12, 2016, at the age of 92. Born January 18, 1924, in Dallas, Texas, the first of three children to Jeanne and Ray Albert Larner, she graduated from Eastland High School and attended Baylor University.
Marilyn never met a stranger that did not become a good friend. She always asked, “Where are you from?” She was truly interested in the person and their family heritage. She also wanted to make connections that would develop into relationships. Her family never heard her say an ugly word about another person!
In February of 1943 she met a dapper young window covering salesman who swept her off her feet. She married Valton Tracy Hicks on his birthday, June 18, 1943, in Waco, Texas. When he joined the US Marines, she followed him to boot camp in California where she worked for Consolidated Aeronautics. She saw the need for Rosie the Riveter to have a better organized work station and wrote an instruction manual for their use. When he was assigned to Eagle Mountain Lake Air Force Base, she was also transferred to Consolidated Aeronautics there.
Val and Marilyn moved to San Antonio where they started their family and later settled in Dallas to raise their four children. She dedicated her life to her family pouring her love into Val and the children.
Later when the kids started college, Marilyn worked for Sanger Harris in Preston Center in the 1960s. Her favorite story about working there was the day a little boy came running through the department yelling, “The President has been shot!”
She served as secretary at Nathan Adams for many years where she enjoyed the successes the teachers had with the children. Then retiring when Val did, they enjoyed traveling in their Winnebago all over the United States. After Val’s stroke in 1981, she did all the driving including two trips to Alaska! They enjoyed membership in Big D Winnies, Heart of Texas Winnies, Rollin’ Nobles and the Park Cities RV clubs.
Val and Marilyn participated in the Dallas Woods and Water Club as they were avid hunters and fishermen. She was so proud of her large deer mounts and of catching the largest bass in a tournament!
She has been a member of Park Cities Baptist Church since 1947 where she served with Martha Lou Howard in the five year old department for many years and held many offices in the Amitié class. She told stories of the first day she visited bowing for prayer and seeing grass growing through the slats in the floor while standing next to the president of the bank!
She enjoyed traveling twice to Perú to visit her daughter who was serving as a missionary. She traveled with her son twice to Hawaii and once to Europe.
Her passion in life became family history research. Researching her ancestors’ stories brought great sense of accomplishment. Marilyn and Val drove state to state to find birth, death and marriage certificates, but when she found personal stories, she was elated! She was a member of DAR, Colonial Dames, Peter’ Colony Genealogy Society, Dallas Genealogy Society and the Friends of Hobbs State Park. Her travels then focused on research for her books. As she delved into the life of Peter Van Winkle in Rogers, Arkansas, she uncovered information that brought light to his life accomplishments. His land is included in the Hobbs State Park and Conservation Area. Several archaeological students have used studies/digs on his land as their doctoral projects.. Her research led to the creation of the Van Winkle Trails on Little Clifty Creek where she spoke at the opening on National Trails Day, 2009. Most of the thirteen plaques on the trail mention her. She was instrumental in the research for educational programs in Rogers Historical Museum as well as the school districts for miles around. Peter was featured in a nine-month museum exhibit for which Marilyn procured and donated his family bible. When the visitor’s center was opened in Hobbs State Park, she was honored that a permanent exhibit about him was featured in the state of the arts center.
Author of two family history books, The Larner Book & The Van Winkle Family, she was writing a historical trilogy of the lives of her grandparents, Lutie’s Story; Guy’s Story; Steele Legacy.
Marilyn was an avid fan of the Texas Rangers. She planned her day around their games and could quote stats and personal stories on each player through the years!
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Val and her son, Valton Tracy Hicks, Jr. and her brother, Ray Albert Larner, Jr. She is survived by son, Ray Hicks and wife, Priscilla of Austin, daughters Pam Hicks of Odessa and Sheri Berrier and husband John of Carrollton; grandchildren, Valton Tracy Hicks III (Trae) and wife Clover of Colombo, Sri Lanka, Ashleigh Hicks of Cash, Darby Hicks and husband Trey Meyer of Lago Vista, Devin Hicks and wife Meredith of Austin, Barry, Taylor and Morgan Berrier of Carrollton; great grandson, Dax Lawhon and great granddaughter Luna Hicks; sister, Jeanne Conte and husband Joe and many cousins, nephews and nieces; and twenty surrogate grandchildren…her Duchess Angels.
Special thanks to her care giver Cheryl Smith and nurse Merlinna Zadoka and the many teams of doctors and nurses in the many departments of Southwestern University Medical Center.
Saturday, May 14th, 2016, 11:00am, Park Cities Baptist
Crown Hill Memorial Park
