Doris R. Hicks

Doris R. “Dory” Hicks passed away quietly, surrounded by family and friends, in the Hospice Care Center in Longview on Jan. 8th, 2013. She was 85 years old.

Dory was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on September 19, 1927 to Donald and Martha (Neeley) Bright. She grew up in the small town of Sheldon, Iowa, graduating in 1945. She attended the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts for two years before marrying Wesley S. Hicks on June 14, 1948 in St. Paul, Minnesota. They spent their honeymoon in a forest fire lookout on Mt. Hebo in Oregon, where they fell in love with the Pacific Northwest.

They followed Wes’ career in the Timber Industry to Cathlamet in 1953 and bought their beautiful Farm in Skamokawa in 1960. Dory, a petite and energetic character, loved to ski and swim and walk outdoors. She enjoyed cooking and caring for their large family of eight children. She maintained a beautiful flower garden and always set an imaginative table, no matter what the occasion. As the kids left home, she focused her motherly instincts toward animals, caring for hand-me-down dogs, stray cats, rescued chipmunks, a friendly pheasant, a cockatiel, and even a spider she had befriended. Dory’s favorite pastime on rainy days (a frequent occurrence in Skamokawa) was painting in watercolors; she was well known and loved locally for her artwork.

Dory was a member of St. Catherine’s Catholic Church in Cathlamet and its Altar Society. She was a Charter Member of the Friends of Skamokawa and volunteered over the years designing and painting the backdrops, programs and advertising for the Skamokawa Follies fundraiser in the spring and donated paintings to be auctioned at the annual Friends of Skamokawa Wine Tasting in the fall. She especially enjoyed serving as a docent at the Redmen Hall River Life Interpretive Center.

Dory is survived by her sons, Mike (Becky) of Salem, OR, Tom (Teresa) of Skamokawa, WA, Chris (Joy) of Spokane, WA, John (Laurie) of Gig Harbor, WA, Sam (Theresa) of West Linn, OR, David Hicks of Cathlamet, WA, and a daughter, Barbara Miller (Scott) of Redding, CA, daughters-in-law, Rosie Hicks and Lee Ann Hicks, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Wesley Hicks, and a son, Mark Hicks.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, January 26, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. at the Skamokawa Grange Hall at the fairgrounds in Skamokawa, WA.

Dory requested that memorial contributions be made to the Humane Society of Cowlitz County, PO Box 172, Longview, WA 98632, or Friends of Skamokawa, 1394 SR 4, Skamokawa, WA 98647, or Community Home Health & Hospice of Longview, PO Box 2067, Longview, WA 98632. Dowling Funeral Home of Cathlamet is in charge of arrangements.