From Isaac Stanley, '73

I'm saddened to inform the Swarthmore Community of the death of my friend and classmate Terry Hicks. Until his retirement in 2015, Terry was an investor and former vice president at Ben Franklin Technology Partners. Over the years, Terry always held Swarthmore and his classmates close to his heart.     

 

 

Terrence Henry Hicks was born on March 16th 1952 in Morton, Pennsylvania and was the son of William H. Hicks and Charlotte Jones Hicks. He received his education from the Philadelphia public school system, graduating from John Bartram High School in 1969. In 1973, Terry graduated from Swarthmore College with a degree in Economics, followed by an MBA from LaSalle University in 1980.

Terry and his sister, Deborah, were baptized at an early age by their grandfather, Rev. Charles Roy Jones. Brother and sister studied organ for 5 years; they played for the children’s choir at Mt. Hebron Baptist Church and, on special occasions, at 2nd Baptist Church of Frankford. They also earned spending money by playing the organ for several churches in South Philadelphia and Frankford. Terry mastered several preludes and fugues by Bach on the organ. Terry and Debbie would play duets for neighbors and visitors in their home. Terry also played the cello.

During his professional career, Terry was a Branch Manager for Fidelity Bank, Vice President of Alliance Enterprises (part of Sun Oil Company), and Vice President of the Investment Group at Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern PA. He retired in 2015.

Terry met his wife Gail during a blind date on July 5th, 1973. They married in 1976. From that union, two children were born: Christian Michael and Lauren Ashley.

Terry and Gail joined Reformation Lutheran Church in October 1979. Terry led the Youth Group and was a member of church council, the Men’s Group, Finance Group, and the Young Adults Group. For five years, Terry and Gail served communion to residents of Wesley Enhanced Living at Stapeley. In 2013, Terry was named “Man of the Year” on Men’s Day Sunday. Terry’s faith always gave direction to his life, from the time he played a child preacher with his cousins, to his last day, October 18th 2018. God and faith directed his life; he passed that faith onto his children and grandchildren.

Terry’s hobbies included building model ships, crabbing, working magic with ribs and chicken on the grill, tennis, building dollhouses and doll furniture, cryptograms, international travel (South America, Europe, and the Caribbean), writing movie reviews, and listening to Gospel music, Earth, Wind, and Fire, and going to concerts at the Keswick Theatre.

Left to mourn are his wife, Gail; son Christian Hicks (Tanya); daughter Lauren Richardson (Alex); sister Deborah Beeler (Devon); brother-in-law Jeffrey Brown; grandchildren Amber and Aaron Hicks; two nieces and one nephew; two “sister cousins” Connie Jones and Barbara Jones; and a host of other relatives and friends. Members of the venture capital community of Greater Philadelphia also held a special place in his heart.

Poem

God saw him getting tired, and a cure was not to be

So He put His arms around him, and whispered, “Come to me”.

With tearful eyes, we watched him suffer, and saw him slowly fade away

Although we loved him dearly, we couldn’t make him stay.

A golden heart stopped beating, hardworking hands put to rest

God broke our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/batesville/name/terrence-hicks-obituary?id=10805311