William "Bill" Marvin Fricks

Mr. William M. "Bill" Fricks, age 91, of Rome, GA, passed away at his home Friday evening, January 20, 2017. Mr. Fricks was born on May 8th, 1925 in Rome, Georgia. He was preceded in death by his beloved Martha, his father and mother, Claude and Lottie B. Fricks, and sister, Marion Fricks Smith.

Mr. Fricks married the love of his life, Martha Abney on July 23rd, 1949. Survivors include his two sons Greg and Rob, and daughter, Marsha, one brother, Robert Fricks, of Tifton, Ga.. He has nine grandchildren. Greg and his wife Ramona have four children, Rie Rie Rubadue (Michael) of Powder Springs, Will (Karyn) of Atlanta, Grier (Derek) and Garret of Rome. Rob and his wife Tami have three children, Robert (Bo), Abney, and Mathis all of Macon, Ga. Marsha has two children, Ashley and Trey of Albany, GA; and three great-grandchildren, Ross Rubadue, Anna Rubadue, and Aria Fricks

Bill served as President of the Rome Optimist Breakfast Club, and then elected as State Secretary and Treasurer of Georgia State Optimist international, Rome Exchange board member and Exchangite of the year in 2006. Martha and Bill received the Heart of the Community Award for the year of 2006. He served two terms as president of the Rome Floyd County Convention and Visitors Bureau and served on the PRIDE organization downtown.

Along with his amazing wife Martha he founded Bill Fricks Furniture in June of 1967. Bill was elected President of the Georgia Home Furnishings Association in 1975.

Bill was elected to serve on the Rome City Commission in 1984 and was re-elected five times a serving two years as their Mayor in 2000 and 2001 for a total of 25 years. He served on most all committees plus Georgia Municipal Committees and the board of directors two years. He served as Chairman of the First District of GMA. He was entered into the GMA Hall of Fame in 2006.

Bill was active in the Mayor’s Motorcade at NWGRH for 15 years. Bill loved his church and its members. He thoroughly enjoyed his golf group the “Hoky Luky Bunch” along with their families.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, January 24, 2017, at 11 a.m. at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church with the Rev. Nikki Mathis officiating. Visitation followed the service at the home of Greg and Ramona Fricks, 420 Broad St.

Interment was held Wednesday, January 25, 2017, at 12:30 p.m. at the Georgia National Cemetery near Canton.

Pallbearers will include loyal and longtime employees George Adams and John A. Thompson, and grandsons Trey Underwood, Will Fricks, J. Garret Fricks, Robert (Bo) Fricks, Mathis Fricks, Michael Rubadue, Ross Rubadue and Derek Hay.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the Exchange Club Family Resource Center, P. O. Box 168, Rome, GA 30162-0168, Heyman HospiceCare, P. O. Box 163, Rome, GA 30162-0163 or YOUNG LIFE Rome/Floyd County, 3 Central Plaza, Rome, GA 30161