Earl Fowler Hicks

Mr. Hicks, 83, of Gloucester, Va., formerly of Freehold, died June 16, 2007, in Gloucester. He was born in Tulsa, Okla. From the 1950s until he retired in 1980, Mr. Hicks worked as an electronics technician at Fort Monmouth. He was a member of the teams that developed the TIROS (Television Infrared Observation Satellite) weather satellite and the Vanguard rocket during the early years of the space program. He served in both World War II and the Korean War, attaining the rank of staff sergeant in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. Upon leaving the military, he performed demolition work for the National Forestry Service. After retiring to Gloucester, Mr. Hicks served as a lector at the Church of St. Therese, Gloucester, for many years. He was predeceased by his wife of 50 years, Helen Clancy Hicks; a brother, S.T. Hicks; two sisters-in-law, Geraldine Hicks and Elizabeth Clancy; and two brothers-in-law, Edward and Joseph Clancy. He is survived by a daughter, Hilarie Hicks of Gloucester; a brother, Robert Lee Hicks of San Antonio, Texas; two sisters-in-law, Margaret Clancy of Freehold and Mary Clancy of the New Egypt section of Plumsted; and three generations of nieces and nephews in New Jersey, Delaware and Texas. A funeral liturgy was celebrated at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church, Freehold, where he was married 54 years ago. Interment followed at St. Rose of Lima Cemetery, Freehold Township.