John Wilson Wicks, 77

On the evening of Aug. 3, 2013, John received his angel wings.

He was born March 4, 1936, to Marshall and Edith Wilson Wicks in a cabin along the Sally Ann Creek Road near the small town of Clearwater.

All of John's growing-up years and some beyond were near there. John started school in Clearwater, then his parents moved to a farm in Pleasant Valley and he went to the Pleasant Valley Country School. One year, there were only seven students in the school. Five of them were Wicks kids, John and four younger siblings! He graduated from Stites High School in 1954.

John worked for the U.S. Forest Service for a few years on the Anderson Butte Lookout and as a packer for a trail crew.

The job he made a career of was a firefighter for the city of Lewiston. He retired as a captain after 25 years in January of 1994.

He married his wife, Gwen Hutchens, May 24, 1957. They celebrated their 56th anniversary this year.

John is survived by his wife and four children: two daughters, Penny and Edie Wicks; two sons, Jeff (Cindy) and Jody (Brenda); seven grandchildren, B.J., Josh, Tara (Sam) Tyrell, Jared, Johnathon and Torie (Joseph); two great-granddaughters, Brooklyn and Cheyenne; three brothers, Gale (Sharon), Rex (Pudge), Dwight (LeAnn); three sisters, Shirley (Bud), Donna (Bill) and Norma; and numerous nieces and nephews.

John will be cremated and his service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Malcom's Brower-Wann Funeral Home in Lewiston.

There will be a family dinner in his memory at the Wicks family reunion next year in July.

If you wish to make a donation in John's memory, please do so to a charity of your choice.