Phillip Lathan Hicks, 90, of Gastonia, NC passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 27, 2025 at Jefferson Park at White Pine in White Pine, Tennessee. Phillip was born in Charlotte, NC to Jennie Lee McCoy Hicks and Robert Lathan Hicks and lived in Winnsboro, SC throughout his childhood with his siblings, Robert “Bob” Hicks, William “Bill” Hicks and Jeanne Hicks. At age 13 he moved to Gastonia, NC and graduated from Gastonia High School in 1952. He attended Davidson College from 1952-1956 and graduated with a BS in biology and chemistry. Upon graduation he enlisted in the US Army with ASA (Army Security Agency) and served approximately five years in Bavaria and Rhineland near Bonn, Germany. Phillip married his high school sweetheart, Lou Anne Brumley Hicks in Bad Aibling, Germany in June of 1958. Lou Anne and Phillip traveled extensively throughout western Europe during their free time and both described this period as “the best time of our lives”. He attended the NCO Academy (Non-Commissioned Officers) in Bad Tölz, Germany, graduated top of his class and was then promoted serving two and a half more years in Germany as an E6 Staff Sergeant.
Lou Anne and Phillip had their first child in 1960 then moved back to Gastonia, NC in 1962. Phillip worked four years as a special agent at Prudential Insurance and spent the remainder of his career in the textile industry. He worked for Textile, Inc. then Ticaro Textiles and retired as Vice President of Research and Technical services in 2002. He then began a specialty thread business, Vortex Threads, in 2004 for 10 years.
Phillip and Lou Anne were founding members of All Saints Episcopal Church in Gastonia, NC beginning in 1962. Phillip co-founded Scout Troop #349 in 1963 and was a scout master for 25 years. Lou Anne and Phillip were married for 62 years until Lou Anne passed in March of 2020. They have three surviving children, Andrew Phillip Hicks of Apex, NC and wife, Jennifer Armstrong Hicks, Gregory Lathan Hicks of Dandridge, TN and wife Joy Ray Hicks and Jennifer Anne Hicks Ussery of Marshall, NC and husband Mark R. Ussery. They have five grandchildren: Corbin Davis Hicks (deceased), Conner Lathan Hicks, Tori Rene Hicks, Lathan Dean Hicks and Juliet Rye Hicks all of which were loved greatly by their “Papa”. Phillip will be remembered for his love of plants and gardening. He enjoyed horticulture and spending time in his greenhouse and yard as well as beekeeping, golfing, hiking, backpacking, biking and camping throughout his long life. He also had a passion for reading, classical music and languages – he spoke fluent German from his time in Germany. Phillip was known to tell jokes in any and all situations having the gift to make his friends and loved ones smile and laugh. He was a generous, giving, family man who helped people throughout his life and was well respected, loved and admired by all that knew him. He will be very greatly missed. The family will have a private family memorial gathering at All Saints Episcopal Church of Gastonia, NC.