Dale Eugene Hicks

Dale Eugene Hicks, math whiz, quirky dresser, surprise enthusiast, adoring husband,

proud father, cherished brother and son, sports fanatic, and talented singer, passed

away on Monday, 29 May 2023, after an arduous but brave battle with cancer. He was

67 years old.

Born in Bremerton, Washington, Dale was a UW Huskies fan by birth and an Oregon

Beavers fan by choice (despite his daughter’s best efforts - GO DUCKS!).

All characters in their own right, Dale held his family in the highest regard, preceded in

death by his beloved parents, Gene and Carol (Lang) Hicks, and his brother, Jay Hicks

(all of Bremerton). In recent years, watching NASCAR and snoozing through Mariners

games with his sister, Brenda Valley (Paul) of Bremerton, brought him immense joy.

Upon graduation from East High (Bremerton) in 1974, Dale joined the United States Air

Force and proudly served as part of the security forces.

After his honorable departure from the Air Force, Dale fathered a daughter, Christina

Fleming (Ewan) of Tain, Scotland, with whom he joyously reconnected in 2001, and a

son through his first marriage, Anthony Hicks (Jesseka, daughter Ziva) of Salem,

Oregon. Dale was exceedingly proud of his gifted kids, often more so than he could put

into mere words.

Following in his mother’s accounting footsteps, Dale lent his brilliant mind to various

roles in the plumbing industry for over 40 years, retiring as the Assistant Sales Manager

with Keller Supply in 2016; he greatly valued his extended network of colleagues,

customers, and vendors, most of whom became life-long friends.

In 1990, Dale married his cherished bride and the true love of his life, Dianna Hicks

(Brecht) of Keizer, Oregon. Dianna, along with her children, Annette “Sissy” Ford (Greg,

children: Sage and Kody) of Bend, Oregon, and Albert McRae (children: Riley and

Kidder) of Duvall, Washington, brought color to Dale’s life. She happily perpetuated his

love for delicious, home-cooked meals and fervently supported the decision to lead a

compassionate and loving Christ-centered life together when they gave their lives to

Christ in 1999. His goal each day was to make Dianna laugh, tell her he loved her often,

and prove it through his actions, including bringing her a cup of coffee every morning

without fail.

Dale had a lifelong love affair with M&Ms, Skittles, and Tic Tacs, his momma’s

kiripsa-schtampus, and Grandma’s kuchen and sticky buns; later on, adding Dianna’s

curry chicken strips, fried oysters, and potato salad to the mix. He gleefully planned the

best surprises and insisted on wearing overalls and flannel shirts, socks with sandals,

and his ever-present fanny pack (much to his kids’ chagrin).

Witty, albeit sometimes gritty, Dale never complained. He was generous with his time

and talent, reliable and trustworthy, an organized perfectionist, cheeky, rarely filtered or

embarrassed, and an absolute gas. To truly know him was to love him.

Please join us in celebrating Dale’s life at 1:00 PM on Saturday, 24 June 2023, at

Dayspring Fellowship, 1755 Lockhaven Drive NE, Keizer, OR 97303.

Cremation services compassionately provided by Virgil T. Golden Funeral Services.