Digital Augusta

Augusta, Kansas

1983-08-02
Collection: 1983

Title

1983-08-02

Subject

Hicks, Orbie

Description

Obituaries published in the Augusta Daily Gazette

Creator

Augusta Daily Gazette, Augusta, Kansas, USA

Source

Augusta Historical Museum, Augusta, Kansas, USA

Publisher

Augusta Public Library, Augusta, Kansas, USA

Date

1983-08-02

Rights

In Copyright In Copyright

Published with permission of copyright holder. Further reproduction prohibited.

Format

Clippings

Language

English

Type

application/pdf



Citation
Augusta Daily Gazette, Augusta, Kansas, USA, “1983-08-02,” Digital Augusta, accessed November 1, 2024, https://augusta.digitalsckls.info/item/151.
Text

The Augusta Daily Gazette
Tuesday, August 2, 1983
Orbie Hicks Remembered
As Top-Notch Marksman
Orbie “Orb” Hicks, 60, 704 State, suffered a heart attack while fishing with his brother at the Corbin Fish Farm north of Augusta Sunday afternoon. He died at Augusta Medical Complex.
Orb and his brother, Dode, have operated Hicks Service Station on the northeast corner of Seventh and State for nearly 40 years. Both of the bachelor brothers enjoyed competitive shooting.
A graveside service for Orbie Herbert Hicks will be at 11 a.m. tomorrow at the Elmwood Cemetery. Rev. Doyle Whitesel, pastor of the First Church of God, will officiate.
A memorial has been established at the Hicks Service Station for the White Eagle Gun Club which the two brothers have operated for several years.
“That man taught me everything I know about a scatter gun (shotgun),” said Duane Pangrac, a longtime shooting student, friend, and customer of the Hicks brothers. “I enjoyed the many, many hours I spent with Orb.”
“Every time I had a problem with my shooting, Orb would straighten me out,” Pangrac said. Orb shared his shooting skill and experience with “a ton of people” in the Augusta area and the state, according to Pangrac.
Two of Orb’s shooting students became world class skeet champions — Vernie Surber of Augusta and Tommy Oliver, formerly of Augusta and now of Dallas, Texas.
Orb was a Kansas skeet champion when he and Dode were active in the Midwest tournament scene from 1961 to 1970. They collected a station and house full of trophies.

ORBIE H. HICKS ...top marksman

I was surprised to hear of his death,” said Nevelyn Rawlings 54 Motor Service, longtime business competitor. “Orb hadn't looked in good health for some time, but just a couple weeks ago I saw him at a Kiwanis meeting and he looked much better.” Orb and Dode were frequently in and out of the hospital in recent years.
Orb was the oldest service station operator in Augusta, according to Rawlings. The Hicks brothers began leasing the former Cities Service station built in Model T days) in 1946. Dode told The Gazette yesterday the future of the station is uncertain and he will probably be looking for an engineering job.
“I first knew Orb when I was in high school,” said Bob Shryock of Shryock Standard. "He was a fixture in this community and he will be missed. Orb was a type of guy you could always get along with.”
Another Augustan who shot with Orb was highway patrolman Charles Hanna. “He was top notch with a shotgun. I always picked up some pointers
every time I hunted with Orb.”
Dode and Orb operated the White Eagle Gun Club south of Augusta on U.S. 77. The land was leased to them specifically for that purpose by Jack Bannon of Douglass, a friend from high school days.
Both Orb and Dode were devoted sons to their mother, Mattie, who died in 1980 after suffering arthritis most of her life. Their father, Bert Hicks, died three years ago from emphysema-related heart failure.
Orb was born Oct. 17, 1922 in Powersburg, Ky., and relocated to Kansas at an early age. Even though their father was a good marksman, it was a pair of bachelor uncles that bought Orb and Dode their first 20-gauge shotguns and got them interested in competitive shooting.
In addition to his brother Dode, Orb is survived by an uncle, Olie Brown, and five aunts, Raye and Hetta Brown, Lena Piercy, Mollie Bertram, and Alta Hicks, all of Monticello, Ky.
The Dunsford Funeral Home of Augusta is in charge of arrangements.

Original Format

Newspaper clipping