Services for Lloyd A. "Mike" Wicks Jr., 91, of Ralls were held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 11, 2001, at Ralls First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Robert Tucker officiating and the pastor, Larry Reed-Farris, assisting.
Burial was in Ralls Cemetery under the direction of Adams Funeral Home of Ralls.
He died Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2001, at Ralls Nursing home.
He was born May 5, 1910, in Crosbyton, TX.
He married Mildred Robbins on June 27, 1936, in Tyler, TX.
He graduated from Ralls High School in 1927. He attended Texas Tech for one semester in the only building on the campus at that time. He graduated from Draughon´s Business College and worked in his father´s law office as a secretary for a while.
In September 1928, he and his brother Sam went to Austin where he had a job in the State Capitol. When the administration changed, he lost his job at the Capitol, and the brothers returned to Ralls where they worked at the Ralls Banner newspaper for a while. Mike met Mildred Robbins, a teacher in the local school while in Ralls. The story Mike tells is that barber asked who she was and said "That´s the girl I am going to marry.".
They lived in Tyler and then in Athens for a while where Mike worked as a stenographer. In 1938 he got a letter from Sam that said he had a job in Ralls and would send money to help if Mike would go back to law school. Mildred wouldn´t let them go without her, so they lived in a one room apartment in Austin.
She found work at the Texas Unemployment Commission. Sam joined them a year later and Mildred worked while both boys went to school. In 1940 Mildred had to quit her job due to the birth of a daughter, Mary Helen. By that time, Sam had graduated. Mildred says they had some money saved, Sam helped some, and they couldn´t spend much because they didn´t have a car and couldn´t go anywhere.
Even so, they remember the friends they made and this period as one of the highlights of their lives together.
Mike finished the University of Texas law school in 1940 and was admitted to the Texas State Bar in 1941 after they moved back to Ralls.
Mike worked for Selective Service as Clerk of Local Board until appointed by the State as Clerical Audit Supervisor. In 1943 although exempt from the draft, he joined his two brothers in volunteering for military service in World War II. He served in the European Theater for three years, with the 183rd Combat Engineer Battalion. He saw duty in England, France and Germany.
A son, Lloyd A. Wicks, III, (Michael) was born exactly nine months after Mike returned. He and Mildred bought a house at 1321 Tilford in Ralls which is still their home.
When Mike returned home on March 29, 1946, he discovered that he had been appointed to complete the term as County Attorney of Crosby County. At that time there were numerous bootleggers and other problems in the county. Despite the offer of bribes, threats on his life and threats to his family, Mike enlisted the help of the Texas Rangers, and he and the local Sheriff arrested enough of the lawless element that most of the rest moved out of the county. He served as County Attorney for ten years.
Mike went into private law practice, in Ralls, with his father, Lloyd A. Wicks, Sr. They served as attorneys for the White River Municipal Water District during its formation. Hammering out contracts between the four member cities and securing land for the lake site. Lloyd Wicks, Sr. died in 1968 and Mike retired from the practice of law in 1972.
Mike was an active community leader all of his adult life. He is a lifetime member of the Ralls Rotary Club, which he served as President. He edited the club´s newsletter, "The Ralls Rotary Pepper" for years. The Ralls Rotary Club presented him with a Paul Harris Fellowship award.
He is a Past Master of Emma Lodge and Past District Deputy Grand Master of the Texas Masonic Lodge. Mike served as Worthy Patron of Ralls Chapter #169 Order of the Eastern Star seven times. He was Cub Scout Master, and a member of Ralls United Methodist Church.
In 1991 Mike and Mildred Wicks were honored by the Ralls Chamber of Commerce as "Citizens Through the Years."
Survivors include his wife; one son, Mike Wicks of Lubbock; one daughter, Mary Helen Jamerson of Ralls; a brother, S.E. "Sam" of Phoenix, AZ; five grandchildren, Calvin Jamerson, Kathlyn Jamerson Sedgwick, Wagner Wicks, Weston Wicks, and Wilson Wicks; ; and five great-grandchildren.
The family suggests memorials to the Ralls Library, Ralls EMS or First United Methodist Church of Ralls.
The Crosby County News & Chronicle, Oct. 12, 2001
Services for Mildred Wicks, 91, of Ralls were held at 10:00 AM, Monday, September 29, 2003 at the Ralls First United Methodist Church with Rev. Robert Tucker and Rev. Larry Reed-Farris officiating. Burial was in the Ralls Cemetery under direction of Adams Funeral Home of Ralls.She died Friday, September 26, 2003 at the Ralls Nursing Home.
She was born April 8, 1912 in Plainview, Texas to John Ira and Maud Hall Robbins. She married Lloyd A. "Mike" Wicks, Jr. on June 27, 1936 in Tyler, Texas. He died on October 9, 1996. She was a member of the Ralls First United Methodist Church and taught the Friendship Sunday School class for several years.
She graduated from San Bernadino Valley Union College. She taught Speech expression, and worked for Logan Buick in Ralls, retiring in 1978. She was honored by the Buick Division of General Motors for her 8 years of perfect accounting. She was a member and past worthy matron of the Ralls Order of Eastern Star, also past Deputy Grand Matron. She and her husband were honored as Ralls Chamber of Commerce Citizens through the Years. She moved to Ralls in 1933 from Athens, Texas.
Survivors include a son Mike Wicks and his wife Hadra of Lubbock, a daughter Mary Helen Jamerson and her husband James of Ralls, two sisters: Louise Tucker of Athens and Jane Young of Tulsa, Oklahoma five grandchildren: Calvin Jamerson, Kathylyn Jamerson Sedgwick, Wagner Wicks, Weston Wicks, Wilson Wicks and six great grandchildren: Sarah Jamerson, David Jamerson, Spencer Sedgwick, Saryssa Sedgwick, Channing Wicks and Campbell Wicks.
Pallbearers will be Wagner Wicks, Weston Wicks, Wilson Wicks, Calvin Jamerson, and Dale Sedgwick, Jr.
The Crosby County News & Chronicle, Friday, Oct. 3, 2003, page 8
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