K Michael Hickman

K. Michael "Mike" Hickman loving husband, father and grandfather left us on February 13, 2023, and will be greatly missed. A celebration of life will be held on Wednesday, April 12, at 11 A.M., at the Cowboy Church of Leon County, 1419 TX Hwy 7 E., Centerville, Texas 75833.

Mike was born on February 26, 1944, in Kingman, Arizona to Ivan and Bobbie Hickman. He had a full and happy life. Mike's father was in the Air Force and as such he had the opportunity to live in many different places like Presque Isle, Maine, Valdosta, Georgia, Germany, and Colorado Springs, Colorado, to name a few. He graduated from high school while living in Colorado, and that's when his adventures began. He joined the Navy and spent two years sailing on the aircraft carrier USNS Kitty Hawk. After leaving the Navy, he realized it was time to go to college. His parents were stationed in Hampton, Virginia and he decided on joining them there to get his Mechanical Engineering Degree from Old Dominion University.

While attending college, he met the love of his life, Barbara Lamb and decided he needed to marry her. Upon graduation, Mike worked at the Celanse Fiber Company, then he got the opportunity to work for White Automotive Co. "Whitco" making Jeep tops and roll bars. When this happened he and Barbara picked up and moved to Colorado Springs, CO., where his two kids were born. Almost two decades later, he switched jobs again, this time taking him to Southern California and The Stewart Co., repping USA automotive products to the Asian automotive industry exclusively with The Toyota Company. Mike got into automotive design engineering while working at Whitco and then continued this working with Toyota through The Stewart Co.

Mike enjoyed flying model airplanes starting at a young age with his dad and brothers. During the years he and his wife lived in Colorado, he achieved one of the highest levels of model glider flying you can achieve through the League of Silent Flight (LSF) as a level five member by completing an eight hour slope flight on his model sailplane. In addition to sailplanes, Mike enjoyed U control, gas powered model gliders, electric powered and aero tow gliders. Mike had a need for speed, be it his D stock hydroplane, to his flat bottom drag boat at 109 mph in the 9.51 second 1/4 mile bracket, and cracker box boats. Mike enjoyed off-road jeeping, auto cross, street racing on specially designed tracks like The Streets of Willow and Button Willoe, in his C-10 pickup with an LS3 E rod motor and his Z-06 Corvette Supercharged by Magnuson. Mike loved track drag racing both vehicles. He followed all kinds of auto, truck, and bike racing. After retiring, Mike and Barbara moved once again to their Lazy H Ranch in Centerville, Texas where he always had a cold beer waiting in the fridge for friends and family to come and join them on the front porch. Mike enjoyed building projects that his granddaughter, Maggie thought up and teaching his grandson, Zack how to drive and shoot a gun. One of the hobbies he picked up living on the ranch was being an avid hog hunter. He designed and built all kinds of things for the ranch, friends, and family, as he enjoyed working with his hands and mind. Mike had a wide range of knowledge about so many things he was awe inspiring to many.

Mike was preceded in death by his father, Ivan Louis Hickman; mother, Roberta Lee (Whetstone) Hickman; and brother, Thomas A. L. Hickman.

Mike is survived by his wife of fifty-five years, Barbara L. Hickman; son, Thomas P. Hickman; daughter, Karina M. (Hickman) Pack; grandchildren, Zachary A. Pack and Margaret O. Pack; brother, John P. Hickman; sister, Jeri Lee (Hickman) Homburg, husband Steven Homburg and various aunts, uncles, cousins and extended family members.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests any donations to be made to a medical organization of your choice (lung, heart or cancer).

Arrangements are entrusted to Walters Funeral Home, Centerville, Texas.