Billy Jack Hicks, 79, died Sunday, May 16, 2010, in Hugo. The family will receive friends from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. today at Prater-Lampton-Mills & Coffey Chapel. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Church of Christ in Hugo with Steve Harbison officiating and Wiley Copeland reading the eulogy. Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. at A.L. Stephens Cemetery in Clayton. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Prater-Lampton-Mills & Coffey Funeral Home of Hugo. Born Oct. 14, 1930, in Albion, he was the son of Earnest and Victoria (Fondren) Hicks. He was raised in Albion. He served his country in the United States Army during the Korean War and received two Bronze Stars. He also received the National Defense Medal, Distinguished Unit Citation and the United Nations Service Medal. After his discharge he married Georgia Mae Anderson on May 30, 1954, at County Line Christ's Church in Leflore County. He graduated from Oklahoma State University and taught for one year as a science teacher at Albion School. He went to work for the Oklahoma State Health Department as a health inspector, retiring in 1987 after 33 years of service as the administrator to seven county health departments. Those seven counties included Choctaw, Pushmataha, Pittsburg, McCurtain, Bryan, Latimer and LeFlore. He was on the Oklahoma State Board of Health for several years, the Rotary Club, and the Jaycees. He enjoyed ranching, hunting and camping. He was a member of the 4th & Jackson Church of Christ. Survivors include one daughter, Pamela Hicks Meredith, of Hugo; one son, Jack Dewayne Hicks and wife, Lori, of Hugo; five grandchildren, Kacy McGee and husband, Calvin, of Durant, Justin Meredith, of McAlester, Samantha Copeland and husband, Clark, and Erin Hicks and Jaclyn Hicks, all of Hugo, OK; one great-grandchild, Ethan Andrew McGee, of Durant, and three nieces and one nephew. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Georgia Mae Hicks, and one sister, Lera Francis Gilbert.