Clingmin, better known as Gene, was born February 16, 1930 in Monroe County, Tennessee to William Charles "Bill" Hicks and Grace Ellen Millsaps Hicks Paul. He was their first son and was named after Clingman's Dome, a mountain near his birthplace. The family owned a farm and a country store during the great depression and thus made it through it relatively well in comparison to other families.
It wasn't long until Gene had a little sister, Lillian Bernice Hicks, who was born in 1932. My mother has always told me stories that Gene told her about his sister. He loved her very much and he loved all his children and grandchildren with that same love. Lillian passed away in January 1935 after an accident while she was trying to stay warm near the fireplace. This is bound to be the reason my grandfather watched over his family so much.
Before Lillian passed away, Bill and Grace had become pregnant with their third child, Joey Lee, who was born on September 16, 1935. Then, when Gene was 10 his little brother, Donnie, was born.
Gene married 1st Wanda White and 2 children were born to them. Unfortunately, this marriage did not last.
Gene met and married JoAnn McNabb, daughter of Columbus Wiley and Elsie Marie Wilson McNabb, in 1956. To this union was born 7 more children. The family made a couple of moves from Tennessee to New York state during the 60's and 70's but always ended back in Monroe County. My mother met my father around 1980, married him in 1981, and moved to Mississippi around then to live near my dad's parents. Soon afterward, Gene and JoAnn moved to Mississippi to be near my mother and her sister who had also moved to Mississippi and married. Gene and JoAnn moved back to Tennessee for a while but found Mississippi again soon afterward and were finally convinced to stayed.
Gene had several problems due to diabetes in his later years but that never slowed him down from yard selling and driving the local grocery stores crazy. Always after a deal, he would make offers on an item until he got what he was after or he would just leave raising cane. He was equipped with a great dry sense of humor. A great example of that would be his "Grumpy" hat which he loved to wear around town. All the cashiers knew him as "grumpy." A favorite food was the "mater" which he always loved to raise and even had me raising. I remember he would cheat if I grew a tomato bigger than his by going to the grocery store and buying one bigger and saying, "I just pulled this out of my garden."
He was a longtime member of the masonic lodge.
My grandpa was a one of a kind person. He possessed a great bear hug which showed his great love of his family. I was always proud to receive this hug even if it really hurt when I was little. He enjoyed NASCAR, cb radios, and his family. His pride and joy was a cat by the name of Baby who he had for 15 years who he lost just before his own death.
Gene passed away just before 4:00 in the afternoon at a intersection in Saltillo, Mississippi due to a violent automobile accident on July 15, 2002. This wreck apparently caused the city of Saltillo to realize that the intersection was dangerous enough to be a 4-way stop because one of finally set up there a year after his death. I will always remember great visits, tomato growing contests, myself riding in his cars and going to his house, dry humor, bargains, and the one of a kind bearhug that only he could administer. These great things are forever etched in my mind of a great person to his family. I am very proud to be his grandson and know he sits with his parents and siblings watching over us waiting on us to rejoin him.
Great grandfather of Emi Sunshine Hamilton.
It wasn't long until Gene had a little sister, Lillian Bernice Hicks, who was born in 1932. My mother has always told me stories that Gene told her about his sister. He loved her very much and he loved all his children and grandchildren with that same love. Lillian passed away in January 1935 after an accident while she was trying to stay warm near the fireplace. This is bound to be the reason my grandfather watched over his family so much.
Before Lillian passed away, Bill and Grace had become pregnant with their third child, Joey Lee, who was born on September 16, 1935. Then, when Gene was 10 his little brother, Donnie, was born.
Gene married 1st Wanda White and 2 children were born to them. Unfortunately, this marriage did not last.
Gene met and married JoAnn McNabb, daughter of Columbus Wiley and Elsie Marie Wilson McNabb, in 1956. To this union was born 7 more children. The family made a couple of moves from Tennessee to New York state during the 60's and 70's but always ended back in Monroe County. My mother met my father around 1980, married him in 1981, and moved to Mississippi around then to live near my dad's parents. Soon afterward, Gene and JoAnn moved to Mississippi to be near my mother and her sister who had also moved to Mississippi and married. Gene and JoAnn moved back to Tennessee for a while but found Mississippi again soon afterward and were finally convinced to stayed.
Gene had several problems due to diabetes in his later years but that never slowed him down from yard selling and driving the local grocery stores crazy. Always after a deal, he would make offers on an item until he got what he was after or he would just leave raising cane. He was equipped with a great dry sense of humor. A great example of that would be his "Grumpy" hat which he loved to wear around town. All the cashiers knew him as "grumpy." A favorite food was the "mater" which he always loved to raise and even had me raising. I remember he would cheat if I grew a tomato bigger than his by going to the grocery store and buying one bigger and saying, "I just pulled this out of my garden."
He was a longtime member of the masonic lodge.
My grandpa was a one of a kind person. He possessed a great bear hug which showed his great love of his family. I was always proud to receive this hug even if it really hurt when I was little. He enjoyed NASCAR, cb radios, and his family. His pride and joy was a cat by the name of Baby who he had for 15 years who he lost just before his own death.
Gene passed away just before 4:00 in the afternoon at a intersection in Saltillo, Mississippi due to a violent automobile accident on July 15, 2002. This wreck apparently caused the city of Saltillo to realize that the intersection was dangerous enough to be a 4-way stop because one of finally set up there a year after his death. I will always remember great visits, tomato growing contests, myself riding in his cars and going to his house, dry humor, bargains, and the one of a kind bearhug that only he could administer. These great things are forever etched in my mind of a great person to his family. I am very proud to be his grandson and know he sits with his parents and siblings watching over us waiting on us to rejoin him.
Great grandfather of Emi Sunshine Hamilton.
Clingmin, better known as Gene, was born February 16, 1930 in Monroe County, Tennessee to William Charles "Bill" Hicks and Grace Ellen Millsaps Hicks Paul. He was their first son and was named after Clingman's Dome, a mountain near his birthplace. The family owned a farm and a country store during the great depression and thus made it through it relatively well in comparison to other families.
It wasn't long until Gene had a little sister, Lillian Bernice Hicks, who was born in 1932. My mother has always told me stories that Gene told her about his sister. He loved her very much and he loved all his children and grandchildren with that same love. Lillian passed away in January 1935 after an accident while she was trying to stay warm near the fireplace. This is bound to be the reason my grandfather watched over his family so much.
Before Lillian passed away, Bill and Grace had become pregnant with their third child, Joey Lee, who was born on September 16, 1935. Then, when Gene was 10 his little brother, Donnie, was born.
Gene married 1st Wanda White and 2 children were born to them. Unfortunately, this marriage did not last.
Gene met and married JoAnn McNabb, daughter of Columbus Wiley and Elsie Marie Wilson McNabb, in 1956. To this union was born 7 more children. The family made a couple of moves from Tennessee to New York state during the 60's and 70's but always ended back in Monroe County. My mother met my father around 1980, married him in 1981, and moved to Mississippi around then to live near my dad's parents. Soon afterward, Gene and JoAnn moved to Mississippi to be near my mother and her sister who had also moved to Mississippi and married. Gene and JoAnn moved back to Tennessee for a while but found Mississippi again soon afterward and were finally convinced to stayed.
Gene had several problems due to diabetes in his later years but that never slowed him down from yard selling and driving the local grocery stores crazy. Always after a deal, he would make offers on an item until he got what he was after or he would just leave raising cane. He was equipped with a great dry sense of humor. A great example of that would be his "Grumpy" hat which he loved to wear around town. All the cashiers knew him as "grumpy." A favorite food was the "mater" which he always loved to raise and even had me raising. I remember he would cheat if I grew a tomato bigger than his by going to the grocery store and buying one bigger and saying, "I just pulled this out of my garden."
He was a longtime member of the masonic lodge.
My grandpa was a one of a kind person. He possessed a great bear hug which showed his great love of his family. I was always proud to receive this hug even if it really hurt when I was little. He enjoyed NASCAR, cb radios, and his family. His pride and joy was a cat by the name of Baby who he had for 15 years who he lost just before his own death.
Gene passed away just before 4:00 in the afternoon at a intersection in Saltillo, Mississippi due to a violent automobile accident on July 15, 2002. This wreck apparently caused the city of Saltillo to realize that the intersection was dangerous enough to be a 4-way stop because one of finally set up there a year after his death. I will always remember great visits, tomato growing contests, myself riding in his cars and going to his house, dry humor, bargains, and the one of a kind bearhug that only he could administer. These great things are forever etched in my mind of a great person to his family. I am very proud to be his grandson and know he sits with his parents and siblings watching over us waiting on us to rejoin him.
Great grandfather of Emi Sunshine Hamilton.
It wasn't long until Gene had a little sister, Lillian Bernice Hicks, who was born in 1932. My mother has always told me stories that Gene told her about his sister. He loved her very much and he loved all his children and grandchildren with that same love. Lillian passed away in January 1935 after an accident while she was trying to stay warm near the fireplace. This is bound to be the reason my grandfather watched over his family so much.
Before Lillian passed away, Bill and Grace had become pregnant with their third child, Joey Lee, who was born on September 16, 1935. Then, when Gene was 10 his little brother, Donnie, was born.
Gene married 1st Wanda White and 2 children were born to them. Unfortunately, this marriage did not last.
Gene met and married JoAnn McNabb, daughter of Columbus Wiley and Elsie Marie Wilson McNabb, in 1956. To this union was born 7 more children. The family made a couple of moves from Tennessee to New York state during the 60's and 70's but always ended back in Monroe County. My mother met my father around 1980, married him in 1981, and moved to Mississippi around then to live near my dad's parents. Soon afterward, Gene and JoAnn moved to Mississippi to be near my mother and her sister who had also moved to Mississippi and married. Gene and JoAnn moved back to Tennessee for a while but found Mississippi again soon afterward and were finally convinced to stayed.
Gene had several problems due to diabetes in his later years but that never slowed him down from yard selling and driving the local grocery stores crazy. Always after a deal, he would make offers on an item until he got what he was after or he would just leave raising cane. He was equipped with a great dry sense of humor. A great example of that would be his "Grumpy" hat which he loved to wear around town. All the cashiers knew him as "grumpy." A favorite food was the "mater" which he always loved to raise and even had me raising. I remember he would cheat if I grew a tomato bigger than his by going to the grocery store and buying one bigger and saying, "I just pulled this out of my garden."
He was a longtime member of the masonic lodge.
My grandpa was a one of a kind person. He possessed a great bear hug which showed his great love of his family. I was always proud to receive this hug even if it really hurt when I was little. He enjoyed NASCAR, cb radios, and his family. His pride and joy was a cat by the name of Baby who he had for 15 years who he lost just before his own death.
Gene passed away just before 4:00 in the afternoon at a intersection in Saltillo, Mississippi due to a violent automobile accident on July 15, 2002. This wreck apparently caused the city of Saltillo to realize that the intersection was dangerous enough to be a 4-way stop because one of finally set up there a year after his death. I will always remember great visits, tomato growing contests, myself riding in his cars and going to his house, dry humor, bargains, and the one of a kind bearhug that only he could administer. These great things are forever etched in my mind of a great person to his family. I am very proud to be his grandson and know he sits with his parents and siblings watching over us waiting on us to rejoin him.
Great grandfather of Emi Sunshine Hamilton.
