Larry Forrest Wicks

He was born on February 24, 1943, in St. Louis, Missouri to father Forrest Dale Wicks and mother Helen Louise (Cox) Wicks.

Larry and his older sister Sharon Kaye (Wicks) Lott, initially lived in Manhattan, Kansas where his parents owned a bakery. The family then moved to Joplin, Missouri where he attended New High School.

Larry was diagnosed and recovered from Rheumatic Fever at 12 years old. This is when he had his first experience with Christ intervening in his life.

The family moved to Florida and Larry finished High School at Lakeview High School in Winter Garden, and ultimately the family settled in Naples, Florida in the summer of 1961.

Larry worked for a Survey Company in Naples. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves in 1963 and served 3 years. He attended Communications School at Fort Jackson where he learned to climb poles. He ultimately became a Journeyman Lineman for Florida Power and Light.

Larry went back to school and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Florida, in 1973. Larry is a member of Tau Beta Pi, the oldest engineering honor society and Eta Kappa Nu, the international honor society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Upon graduating Larry returned to Naples with his family and worked for FPL as an engineer. Larry was part of the team representing Florida Power & Light Company from the United States to become the first foreign company to win the Deming Application Prize. Larry achieved a Six Sigma Master Black Belt and led project teams in application of data-driven Lean tools, a statistical processing application.

He went on to use this Quality Processing as a consultant to the U.S. Postal Service in New York City at the large Morgan Facility in downtown Manhattan. Then at Yankee Gas Company in Connecticut. He ended his Quality Processing career at Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

Larry married, former wife, Barbara Leah (Bremerman) Ballard in 1965 and became the father of Stephen Dale Wicks in 1967 and Elaine Marie (Wicks) Capps in 1969.

He married, Sharyn (Middlesworth) Hocking, in 1992, and became the stepfather to Brooks Hocking.

Larry and Shari relocated to Punta Gorda Florida in 2003, where Larry joined Twin Isles Country Club and loved to play tennis and teach guitar. He was an avid boater and fisherman and enjoyed being on the water.

Larry was a member of the Burnt Store Presbyterian Church in Punta Gorda. Where he served as a deacon, moderator of deacons and a Stephen Minister.

He will be deeply missed by his family, many friends, the TICC tennis members, the Monday Guitar group and most of all the neighborhood dogs, rabbits and birds who would stop for their treats, when they saw the garage door open.

Surviving Family: Wife Shari Wicks, Son, Steve Wicks, Grand Children, Hannah Wicks and Ashton Wicks, Daughter, Elaine Capps, Grand Children, Forrest Mettauer and Fate Mettauer. Stepson, Brooks Hocking, Step Grandchildren Elizabeth Barrera and Christopher Hocking, Step Great Grandchildren, Patrick Hocking and Brendan Hocking.

He was predeceased by his parents and his sister.

A Memorial Service will be held at a future date at Burnt Store Presbyterian Church.

In Lieu of flowers: please make donations to the organization or charity of your choice.