John S. Hicks, of Warwick, NY, passed away on November 10, 2013 at Schervier Pavilion. He was 70 years old.
He was the son of the late Dr. Andrew R. and Barbara (Buttenheim) Hicks and was born on May 24, 1943 in Fayetteville, NC.
He graduated from Warwick Valley High School in 1961, Colgate University in 1965 and Albany Law School in 1975.
John began his law career with the late Albert Davis in Chester, NY, and maintained his own private practice until 2002. He also served as an attorney for Chester, Harriman and Port Jervis, and served as Warwick Town Attorney from 2002 to 2013.
He served on many community boards, including Orange County United Way, Arden Hill Hospital and Leadership Orange, and was a founding board member of Warwick Valley Community Center, then known as Bandwagon.
His volunteer activities also included the Warwick Jaycees and he chaired many projects, served as president and was a JCI senator. He was also selected as the Jaycees Citizen of the Year in 1992.
John was a proud veteran, serving in the U. S. Army from 1966-1969. He was a life member of American Legion Post #214 and also a member of the VFW.
John enrolled in the Republican Party as soon as he was eligible to vote. He served on the Warwick Town Board from 1971 to 1975. He served as first vice-chairman on the Orange County Republican Committee from 1991 to 1995 and was then elected as chairman and served from 1995 to 2003. He was also a delegate to two Republican National Conventions. In 2012, he and three of his colleagues formed a political consulting company, Red Pillar Consulting, and worked on several successful Republican campaigns in the Hudson Valley.
John is survived by his wife, Judith A. Hicks; his daughters: Deanna C. Belcher, her husband, Wayne Belcher and their daughters, Addie and Clara; Stephanie A. Kilkenny and her husband, Patrick Kilkenny; Lisa E. Hicks, her husband, Oscar Mena and their daughters, Catherine and Martha. He is also survived by his stepsons, J. Michael Denning, his wife, Tara Lee and their sons, Andrew, Jack, Christopher and Emmett; J. Mark Denning and Michelle Benoit and his sons, Sierra and Makaia; Jeffrey C. Denning and his wife, Tina Denning.
He is further survived by his sister, B. Carroll Possick and her husband, Dr. Stanley G. Possick; his brothers: C. Andrew Hicks and his wife, Mary Anne Hicks; and Gill V. Hicks and his wife, Donna Hicks. John also leaves several cherished nieces and nephews, his Augustine in-laws, who welcomed him into their family, and many valued friends.
He was predeceased by his nephew, Adam Hicks and his sister-in-law, Margaret G. Augustine.
Donations in John’s memory may be made to Warwick Valley Community Center, 22 Hamilton Avenue, Warwick, NY 10990 or The Heritage Foundation, 214 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002.
A memorial service to celebrate John’s life will be held at a later date.