Donald Hicks

Donald Ray Hicks, age 65 years of Berrien Center, Michigan died unexpectedly at 2:47 p.m. on Thursday, June 22, 2017 with family around him at his home.

He was born on November 2, 1951 in Pikeville, Kentucky to Hassell and Sylvia Mae (Evans) Hicks. He was graduated from the Milford (Kentucky) high school, and earned an Associates degree from the University of Kentucky. He has lived in this area since 1980, and was a member of the United Auto Workers Local 5 in South Bend, working at Lock Joint Tube and Allied Products, Inc.

Don was formerly active in the semi-professional football league, coaching the Titans and the Spartans. He is credited with designing the defense strategy known as the “Jailhouse Blitz”. He was a fan of the University of Notre Dame football team and the University of Kentucky basketball team, and of NASCAR’s driver number 31, Mr. Ryan Newman.

On March 23, 1991 in South Bend he married the former Linda Kay Johnson with whom he celebrated last year the twenty-sixth anniversary of their wedding.

Surviving family includes his wife, Linda Hicks and children, Heath Hicks of South Bend, Jamie (& Roger) Smith of Tampa, Florida, Jeremy (& Stephanie) Hicks of South Bend, and Ryan (& Michelle) Johnson, Brett (& Leslie) Sheline, Deha (& Paul) Wezeman, Trenton Ward, all of Mishawaka; thirteen grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; and Don’s sisters, Phyllis Jackson of Indianapolis, Indiana and Sharlene (& Foster) of VanWert, Ohio, and several nieces and nephews.

Services for Donald Hicks will be at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 25, 2017 at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home in Niles with his son, Heath Hicks leading a sharing of memories.