Wallace Merlin Hicke

Wallace went to be with his beloved wife – Pearl "Joy" Hicke (April 19, 1927-December 18, 2018) – on October 14, 2019.

Hailing from Melham, South Dakota, Wallace was one of 7 kids – Ray, Shirley, Lucille, Ione "Tutz", Dolores, and Bernice – and enlisted in the US Navy to serve in WWII's Pacific Campaign. Wallace enlisted a year shy of 18 against the wishes of his father to help do his part in securing America's freedom. A Signalman Grade 3, he served on the LST 698 until his discharge in 1945. Wallace sang with the Blue Jackets during his time in the service, and his love of music led to him often being the life of the party, always quick to sing a song, put on his favorite records, or sweep women off their feet with a dance.

After the service, Wallace met Joy – affectionately referred to as "his Gal Sal" – at a dance hall in La Crosse, WI. Soon married on June 8th of 1946, they began their 72-year journey together. They had 6 children during their long marriage – Terry, Larry, Steven, Douglas, Lesa, and Lynette – living in a variety of locations, including Wisconsin, Iowa, and California. Wallace worked on the Johnson farm – owned by his wife's family – while their three oldest were young, but after a time with Bandag, went on to have a long 30+ year career with Firestone. An excellent salesman and manager, his proficiency as a leader put him at the helm of the company's expansion into the western US. He later served as a Golf Marshal at his local greens – Bing Maloney – before enjoying a happy retirement with his homemaking wife.

A dedicated housewife and mother, Joy's story also grew from humble beginnings. The youngest of 2, she grew up on the Johnson family farm alongside her older brother Clarence. Like her future husband, Joy too served her country during WWII by serving as a factory worker helping assemble shell casings. After beginning their life together, Joy took on the seemingly impossible task of making a home out of whatever lodgings the pair shared. When building one of their first homes together and simultaneously living out of the building's basement, Joy was able to plan the layout of the house – and provide a sense of comfort – through a patchwork of hung sheets. This ingenuity would be put to the test over the course of their life together as the pair moved from location to location, with Joy always quick to rise to the challenge.

While the two eventually settled together in Sacramento, her house was never in a state of rest. Dedicated a to a rigid set of standards, their house was kept immaculate; when she wasn't moving furniture or cleaning, she was finding some other way to add aesthetic value. In a natural transition from mother of 6, Joy became a licensed home daycare provider and turned her love of caring into a valuable business. Over 20 years, she would help raise more than 60+ children. Always quick to prepare a meal or bake a treat, her skills would be put to the test every holiday season. Every year after Thanksgiving, she would begin the arduous task of preparing the household for an intimate Christmas family gathering, complete with a cornucopia of home-baked goods.

Please join us as both Wallace and Joy are buried with Military Honors in a joint ceremony at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery on Wednesday, November 6th 2019 at 11:30 AM.