Published in The Tenneessean on January 5, 2013
OBITUARIES

Leonard Gilbert “Bud” Hickman age 79, born November 3, 1933, died January 2, 2013, Culleoka, Tennessee

Leonard Gilbert "Bud" Hickman
Born: November 3, 1933
Died: January 2, 2013
Location: Culleoka, Tennessee

Leonard Gilbert "Bud" Hickman, 79, resident of Martin Hollow Road in the Campbell Station Community, died Wednesday, January 2, 2013 at Maury Regional Medical Center.

Funeral services will be conducted Monday at 11:00 A.M. at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with Eddie Rogers officiating. Burial will follow in Lynnwood Cemetery with military honors provided by U. S. Navy Honor Guard. The family will visit with friends Sunday from 4:00 – 8:00 P.M. at the funeral home. Condolences may be offered online at www.oakesandnichols.com.

The Maury County native was the son of the late Leonard Hickman and Ruth Gilbert Hickman. On November 12, 1971, he married Frances Ellen "Fran" Church Hickman who preceded him in death on October 9, 2007. A Vietnam veteran, Mr. Hickman retired after twenty years service in the U. S. Navy having served as Chief Petty Officer aboard the USS Midway. After his naval retirement, he was employed at General Electric in Columbia. An avid checker player, Mr. Hickman entered several tournaments and proudly held the title of Mule Day Champion. He was a member of The American Checker Federation. He also found great pleasure in traveling to casinos and was a fan of the Tennessee Vols and Tennessee Titans.

Survivors include his sister-in-law, Marjorie (Gerald) Hoey of Harvard, Illinois; brothers-in-law, Franklin Hughes of Seminary, Mississippi; Richard (Jean) Church of Hiawatha, Iowa; niece, Sherry Knight; nephews, Bennie Hughes, Charles Hughes, Wayne Collier; and devoted friends, Tom & Janet Schoonover and Phillip & Annette Hull.

He was preceded in death by two sisters, Charlotte Hughes and Jackie Collier.

Family and friends will serve as pallbearers.

Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home's obituary:

Frank Davis announced at the 2013 Tennessee State Open business meeting that he received a letter from Mr. Leonard Hickman's attorney stating his will gifted the Tennessee Checker Association $10,000.00 which was to be distributed as prize funds to the Majors and Minors in an effort to encourage, persuade, and promote younger player to the Tennessee State Open. The gift come with explicit instructions as to spread the money over a ten year period at $1,000 per year, $500 to each group, starting in 2014. We appreciate this thoughtful and generous gift and hopefully we will be able to build our youth checker programs so we can have more youth at our tournaments and accomplish Leonard's wishes. This prize fund program will expire in 2023. Mr. Hickman was a faithful participant in the Checker Tournament Circuit. View some pictures of Leonard at various past tournaments. collection of past tournament pictures

Obituaries