Obituary for Olivia Ann Hicks
On Saturday, April 8th, 2023 at the age of 76
Olivia is survived by her wife, Carol L. Buell, her daughter, Helen Hicks-Buell,
and her three brothers: Basil Virgil Hicks, Jr. (Crickett) of North Little Rock,
Arkansas; John Drennan Hicks (Marjorie) of Marietta, Georgia; and Clyde Dale
Hicks (Gerry) of Frederick, Maryland as well as her niece and nephews. She will
be missed by Carol’s sisters and their families, her friends from her beloved alma
mater, Agnes Scott College, and many friends and colleagues, both in New York
City and the South.
Olivia was born in Arkadelphia, Arkansas on May 16, 1946, a small city in
Arkansas where her father, Basil Virgil Hicks, had a small parish as a Presbyterian
minister, supported by her mother, Mary Dale Drennan Hicks, the quintessential
“minister’s wife”. There was a brief position in a parish in Hazard, Kentucky
before the family moved to North Little Rock, Arkansas where Olivia spent her
formative years. As the only girl in a house full of rowdy boys, Olivia was doted
on, subjected to great teasing by her brothers, and was a “mother’s little helper” to
her brother, Clyde, eight years her junior.
While a teenager, Olivia met her mentor, Jim Rollins, and her desire to become a
“true social worker” led to a lifelong career serving neglected youth. Olivia’s
passion for social work was nurtured and grew during her years at Agnes Scott
College, which remains an all-women’s college to this day, in Decatur, Georgia.
The late 60’s was a heady time on college campuses and Olivia was known as a bit
of a rabble rouser, joining silent vigils for peace on the campus and traveling to
D.C. in 1967 for the March on the Pentagon in opposition to the Viet Nam war.
Olivia spent the summer of ’67 volunteering at a settlement house in New York
City’s East Village where she met fellow southern volunteer Peggy Crull who
became a lifelong friend. When not working, they hung out in Tompkins Square
Park, an eye-opening experience for these kids from the South. The civil rights
movement affected Olivia deeply, especially as she witnessed the injustices in
Little Rock and Central High. She remained close to her college friends her entire
life, making an annual trek to Atlanta every spring until her dementia made those
trips impossible.
After attaining a Masters of Social Work from Tulane University, Olivia returned
to Atlanta and remained until 1981, working at Grady Memorial Hospital in
Atlanta, the Child Services Center in Decatur, and the Florence Crittendon
Adoption Unit of Child Services in Atlanta.
At 35 Olivia realized she had to escape the south, as many others did in the 80’s,
to “come out” in New York City. She met Carol at a bar in Chelsea where a mutual
friend was gathering folks to toast her birthday. One week later, they had their first
date at a SAGE social, where Carol was volunteering, and in true lesbian fashion,
they were soon inseparable. Thus began a 40-year lovefest of mutual support and
caring, surrounded by a family of friends both near and far.
Carol and Olivia volunteered in many fledgling LGBTQ organizations, and for
eight years Olivia co-facilitated a support group through Center Kids for
adolescents whose parents were gay and lesbian. As the political winds shifted,
Olivia and Carol decided to adopt a baby, and in 2000, Helen was born in Vietnam,
and found her way into their hearts.
Professionally, Olivia worked with the most vulnerable populations of New York
City through the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services, first in a
diagnostic residential facility on Staten Island (Geller House), then implementing a
new day treatment program for dual diagnosis adolescents (Break Free), and
finally, as Assistant Director of a 25-bed facility for 17-21-year-old males (Kaplan
House).
Eventually Olivia became an adjunct professor at Hunter School of Social Work as
a clinical supervisor for students in their Master of Social Work Program while
juggling parenting responsibilities, making sure Helen got to ballet and art classes
and participated in all the New York City Public School system had to offer.
Olivia was a true “country southerner” —friendly and curious about everyone.
Within two minutes of meeting someone from the south, Olivia and her new friend
would find someone they knew in common. Her country accent would bring out
the southern roots in any social work colleague she would meet and with “where
y’all’s people from?” they would trade stories of summer family reunions, and
recipes for black-eyed peas, sweet potato pie, and the best barbecue in the south.
The last three years of Olivia’s life were difficult for her friends and family to
process. She was such a vibrant person, full of life, an extrovert extraordinaire. The
deterioration of her frontal lobe made it impossible for her to speak, but care
companions, to the end, felt a connection to her as she communicated her gratitude
(or disapproval) with her piercing blue eyes.
A memorial service is planned for later in the year and will be both in-person and
virtual. Gifts in Olivia’s memory can be made to The Class of 1968 Scholarship
Fund at Agnes Scott College (Agnes Scott College Office of Development, 141
East College Avenue, Decatur, Georgia 30030-3770) www.agnesscott.edu/giving/ ; or the Southern Poverty Law Center www.splcenter.org
Olivia is survived by her wife, Carol L. Buell, her daughter, Helen Hicks-Buell,
and her three brothers: Basil Virgil Hicks, Jr. (Crickett) of North Little Rock,
Arkansas; John Drennan Hicks (Marjorie) of Marietta, Georgia; and Clyde Dale
Hicks (Gerry) of Frederick, Maryland as well as her niece and nephews. She will
be missed by Carol’s sisters and their families, her friends from her beloved alma
mater, Agnes Scott College, and many friends and colleagues, both in New York
City and the South.
Olivia was born in Arkadelphia, Arkansas on May 16, 1946, a small city in
Arkansas where her father, Basil Virgil Hicks, had a small parish as a Presbyterian
minister, supported by her mother, Mary Dale Drennan Hicks, the quintessential
“minister’s wife”. There was a brief position in a parish in Hazard, Kentucky
before the family moved to North Little Rock, Arkansas where Olivia spent her
formative years. As the only girl in a house full of rowdy boys, Olivia was doted
on, subjected to great teasing by her brothers, and was a “mother’s little helper” to
her brother, Clyde, eight years her junior.
While a teenager, Olivia met her mentor, Jim Rollins, and her desire to become a
“true social worker” led to a lifelong career serving neglected youth. Olivia’s
passion for social work was nurtured and grew during her years at Agnes Scott
College, which remains an all-women’s college to this day, in Decatur, Georgia.
The late 60’s was a heady time on college campuses and Olivia was known as a bit
of a rabble rouser, joining silent vigils for peace on the campus and traveling to
D.C. in 1967 for the March on the Pentagon in opposition to the Viet Nam war.
Olivia spent the summer of ’67 volunteering at a settlement house in New York
City’s East Village where she met fellow southern volunteer Peggy Crull who
became a lifelong friend. When not working, they hung out in Tompkins Square
Park, an eye-opening experience for these kids from the South. The civil rights
movement affected Olivia deeply, especially as she witnessed the injustices in
Little Rock and Central High. She remained close to her college friends her entire
life, making an annual trek to Atlanta every spring until her dementia made those
trips impossible.
After attaining a Masters of Social Work from Tulane University, Olivia returned
to Atlanta and remained until 1981, working at Grady Memorial Hospital in
Atlanta, the Child Services Center in Decatur, and the Florence Crittendon
Adoption Unit of Child Services in Atlanta.
At 35 Olivia realized she had to escape the south, as many others did in the 80’s,
to “come out” in New York City. She met Carol at a bar in Chelsea where a mutual
friend was gathering folks to toast her birthday. One week later, they had their first
date at a SAGE social, where Carol was volunteering, and in true lesbian fashion,
they were soon inseparable. Thus began a 40-year lovefest of mutual support and
caring, surrounded by a family of friends both near and far.
Carol and Olivia volunteered in many fledgling LGBTQ organizations, and for
eight years Olivia co-facilitated a support group through Center Kids for
adolescents whose parents were gay and lesbian. As the political winds shifted,
Olivia and Carol decided to adopt a baby, and in 2000, Helen was born in Vietnam,
and found her way into their hearts.
Professionally, Olivia worked with the most vulnerable populations of New York
City through the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services, first in a
diagnostic residential facility on Staten Island (Geller House), then implementing a
new day treatment program for dual diagnosis adolescents (Break Free), and
finally, as Assistant Director of a 25-bed facility for 17-21-year-old males (Kaplan
House).
Eventually Olivia became an adjunct professor at Hunter School of Social Work as
a clinical supervisor for students in their Master of Social Work Program while
juggling parenting responsibilities, making sure Helen got to ballet and art classes
and participated in all the New York City Public School system had to offer.
Olivia was a true “country southerner” —friendly and curious about everyone.
Within two minutes of meeting someone from the south, Olivia and her new friend
would find someone they knew in common. Her country accent would bring out
the southern roots in any social work colleague she would meet and with “where
y’all’s people from?” they would trade stories of summer family reunions, and
recipes for black-eyed peas, sweet potato pie, and the best barbecue in the south.
The last three years of Olivia’s life were difficult for her friends and family to
process. She was such a vibrant person, full of life, an extrovert extraordinaire. The
deterioration of her frontal lobe made it impossible for her to speak, but care
companions, to the end, felt a connection to her as she communicated her gratitude
(or disapproval) with her piercing blue eyes.
A memorial service is planned for later in the year and will be both in-person and
virtual. Gifts in Olivia’s memory can be made to The Class of 1968 Scholarship
Fund at Agnes Scott College (Agnes Scott College Office of Development, 141
East College Avenue, Decatur, Georgia 30030-3770) www.agnesscott.edu/giving/ ; or the Southern Poverty Law Center www.splcenter.org