Oct. 21, 1927 – Oct. 24, 2014

NATCHEZ — Funeral services for Amelia “Nickie” Read Hicks, 87, who died Friday, Oct. 24, 2014, will be at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Mary Basilica with the Rev. David O’Connor officiating.

Burial will follow under the direction of Lairds Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. today at the funeral home

Nickie was born on Oct. 21, 1927, in Greenville, the daughter of George and Sadie Nicholas.

Nickie attended Louisiana State University school of nursing and practiced nursing at Charity Hospital in New Orleans. She married Allen Martin Read on Dec. 31, 1951. They move to Natchez in 1954 where Nickie immediately became involved in the Natchez Garden Club (NGC), while Allen establish his medical practice. The couple raised their eight children in Natchez and remained involved in Trinity Episcopal Church, where Nickie was a member and president of the Episcopal Woman’s Group and in various organizations. Nickie was widowed on Oct. 14, 1982. Nickie married Harold Franks Hicks in 1986. In addition to raising her eight children, Nickie became active in St. Mary’s Basilica and remained active in the NGC. She was a very active tennis player and bridge player, playing bridge twice a week until, in her final years, she could no longer do so.

Her children are grateful for the life Nickie lived and are also grateful now that she is out of pain and at eternal peace. They are abundantly grateful to Kati Anderson and her daughter, Vera Harris, who cared for Nickie in her final years — Katie rarely leaving Nickie’s side in the final weeks of her life.

Nickie was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Allen M. Read; her husband Harold F. Hicks; and her sibling, Michael Nicholas, Geneva Rasmussen and Rosemary Nicholas.

Survivors include her eight children; 17 grandchildren; four great grandchildren, Carolyn Read of Natchez, Sharon Booker and daughter, Mary, of Valdosta, Ga., and son, Nick, of Augusta, Ga., Eileen and John Ball; Eileen’s son Luke Janette, his wife Lynn and their children Haley Grace and Audrey; Eileen’s daughter, Michelle Skates, husband, Jeremy, and their children Ryan and Ella; John and Eileen’s son Daniel, all of Natchez; Donna Read, her wife, Paula Garrett and their son, Read Garrett of Asheville, North Carolina, Margaret Martin, her husband Paul and Margaret’s daughter, Savannah Henry, all of Decatur, Georgia; Allen Read, his wife Veronica and their four daughters, Megan, Kelsey, Hannah and Claire, all of Flowery Branch, Georgia; George Read and his three daughters, Rose Mary Ball and her husband Jason Ball, Angela Read and Emily Read and one son, Matt Read, all of Oxford; and David Read of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and his two daughters Katherine and Madeline of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana.

Pallbearers will be Luke Janette, Nick Booker, Matt Read, Jeremy Skates, Jeff hicks and Thomas Booker.

Honorary pallbearers are Ryan Skates, Read Garrett and Jason Ball.

The family request that memorials may be sent to St. Mary’s Basilica, Trinity Episcopal Day School or the Preservation Society of Ellicott Hill.