Oakley Hicks

On May 23, 2025, Oakley Jenkins Hicks, age 92 slipped the surly bonds of Earth to meet his beloved Lord and Savior. He was born July 26, 1932 in Townsend, Tennessee.

Oakley was preceded in his homecoming by his sweetheart and wife of almost 72 years, Juanita McGee Hicks, his parents Jonas Jenkins Hicks and Versie Allman Hicks and his two older brothers, J. Hugh Hicks and Jonas Lee Hicks.

Oakley was the beloved and adored father of Beverly Hicks Burch (Reginald), Pamella Hicks Parker (Robert) and Charity Yvonne Hicks. He also had three grandchildren, one great-grandchild and several nieces and nephews.

He was a firm believer in education who encouraged his girls to seek higher learning. Oakley led by example. During his academic pursuit, he attended the University of Tennessee, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Jefferson State Community College.

A mechanical engineer by profession, Oakley retired from Rust Engineering in 1994 as a successful Project Manager. While at Rust, he worked in the pioneering field of developing refuse-to-energy as a clean energy resource. During his career he also worked at Oak Ridge National Laboratories, Chance-Vought Aircraft in the Fort Worth area, Bowser Engineering in Greenville, Tennessee, Combustion Engineering in Chattanooga, Tennessee and BE&K in Birmingham, Alabama.

After retiring from Rust in 1994, Oakley pastored Cornerstone Church in the Center Point, Alabama area for several years before retiring for the second time. In his spare time he did some free lance engineering and built his dream home on a little mountain top in central Alabama.

Oakley was a talented and award winning baritone in the Melodyeaires quartet and talented musician, kind man, and person of great humor. He taught his girls how to give a car a good wash, check the oil, catch a ball, bat a ball and have a big dog around to protect them. He also was fond of trips to the library with them. He was known to many as Brother Oakley, and a man who was always ready to pray for them. In his later years, he became quite fond of son-in-law, Reggie Burch’s cowboy breakfasts.

He was loved by many and will be greatly missed.

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of one of His godly ones.

Psalm 116:15 NASB

“Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Sunward I’ve climbed, and…Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.”

High Flight ~ John G. Magee. Jr. ~

In lieu of flowers the family would like to suggest donations to:

Samaritan’s Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607, samaritanspurse.org

Alzheimer’s Association, 225 North Michigan Ave., FL. 17, Chicago, IL 60601. ALZ.org

Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama 300 Office Park Drive Suite 225, Birmingham, AL 35223 www.alzca.org