Leon B. Hicks, 76, a Junction City native and brother of a Stevens Point woman, died Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, where he had lived for the last five years.
Services were held Thursday, Jan. 5, 2012, at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Burial will be held Thursday, Jan. 19, in Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, Calif., with full military honors.
Mr. Hicks was born July 19, 1935, in Junction City, a son of the late Burdick and Regina (Borski) Hicks. He graduated from Emerson Junior High School in Stevens Point, where he also attended high school. He attended San Bernardino High School in San Bernardino, Calif., before returning to Stevens Point to join the U.S. Marine Corps in January 1953.
He was a career Marine, serving in both the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. His area of specialty was aircraft power plant mechanic, servicing both jet aircraft and advanced helicopters. Aside from combat duty, he served two tours at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot as a senior drill instructor in San Diego, graduating 11 straight honor platoons.
During his military service, he earned the Korean Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, 1 star; UN Service Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Meritorious Mast medal, Cross of Gallantry with Palm and Frame medal; Rifle Expert badge; .45-Caliber Expert badge; and six-time Good Conduct medal. He was selected to attend numerous specialty academies. He retired from active Marine Corps service in March of 1975 as a gunnery sergeant.
Following military retirement he was employed as a senior aerospace engineer at Senior Aerospace in El Cajon, Calif., for 13 years.
He was also active in his churches in Poway, Calif., and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and achieved fourth-degree status in the Knights of Columbus. He was twice post commander at the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Poway and twice selected as the state commander.
He was married to Sheila Hansen. They later divorced.
He was married to Jacqueline Lucas in 1972. She died in 1994.
He was married to Jeannine Russell in 2000. They moved to Coeur d'Alene in 2005.
Survivors include his wife, Jeannine; five daughters, Ellen (Don) Yarnell, Poway, Calif., Gina Allison and Tracy Hicks, both of Weatherford, Texas, Jan McGuire, Lake Havasu, Ariz., and Leslie Windham (Derrick), North Richland, Texas; two sons, Jeff (Kay), Poway, Calif., and John (Katrina), Arlington, Texas; one stepdaughter, Kim Serticchio, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; one stepson, Bob Ferguson, Van Nuys, Calif.; five sisters, Dolores Street and Mary Hicks, both of Ontario, Canada, Elizabeth Tokarski, Cudahy, Vivian (Bill) Bemowski, Stevens Point, and Donna (Otto) Mueller, Weatherford, Texas; one brother, Del, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; 15 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
He was also preceded in death by two daughters, Dreanne and Jaye Lynn (Leslie); one brother, Gerry; and two sisters, Barbara Ann and Rose.