October 17, 1936 – September 18, 2024
WACO – Edna Rhe Hickman, 87, went home to be with our Lord and Savior on Sept. 18, 2024. Edna dedicated her life to her family and friends.
We will celebrate her life with a memorial service at 2 p.m. on Sept. 28 at Grace Gardens Funeral Home Chapel in Waco with the Rev. Steve Ramsdell officiating. A burial service will be at 2 p.m. on Sept. 26 at Elmwood Cemetery in Bowie with the Rev. Lou Tiscione officiating.
Edna was born in Newport, TX on Oct. 17, 1936 to Fred “Dunk” and Mary Jo Cordell. Growing up in Newport, she attended schools in Bowie participating in numerous social and school activities including choir, band and homemaking, receiving several honors and awards. She graduated from Bowie High School in 1954. After high school, she attended Midwestern State University on a voice scholarship. Edna had a beautiful voice and was invited to sing on many occasions.
She was blessed with two children and they were raised in Wichita Falls and in Austin. In these cities she made lifelong friends. She enjoyed worship on Sundays and spending time with friends. In Austin, she was a volunteer at Seton Hospital and then worked in real estate. She remarried in 1990 to Don Hickman. Moving to Pampa, she continued to make close friends and participated in several organizations including First Christian Church.
In 2013 she moved to Waco to be closer to her daughter’s family. She was active at Central United Methodist Church and bible studies. Her love of the Lord showed in her excitement to worship in song. She enjoyed listening to classic hymns. She loved to attend her grandchildren’s activities and was their biggest fan.
Edna enjoyed shopping for clothes, spending time with friends and talking on the phone. She loved to entertain and decorate for any season or occasion. She was renowned for saying “favorite color is animal print.” She was an avid Texas Longhorn fan and was known to wear her burnt orange on game days. She loved sweets – especially peanut M&Ms and butter pecan ice cream. She and her son even hid the Haagen Daas Rum Raisin ice cream from each other in the freezer while he was a teen. She loved to “up in the bed” with her grandkids – snack, play games and laugh. She exuded joy and happiness and was known always as the glass is half full type of person. Her positivity was contagious and her smile will be forever remembered.
Her biggest joys were her family – especially her grandbabies. She was a true and treasured gift and will be deeply missed by everyone she knew.
Edna is preceded in death by her parents; her beloved husband, Don Hickman; nephew, Russell Cordell and step son-in-law, Tim Hucks.
She is survived by her son, Lee Scott Kelley and wife Taresa, Brock; daughter, Krispen Thielepape and husband Sam, Hewitt; two stepsons, Mike Hickman and wife Ronda, Casper WY and Kelley Hickman, Pampa; two step daughters, Debra Hucks, Amarillo and Sherry Smith and husband Randall, Pace, FL; five grandchildren, Morgan Brittain and husband Ben, Ocean Springs, MS, Logan Thielepape, Hewitt, Joshua and Trevor Kelley, Brock and Jessica Brown, Fort Worth; six step-grandchildren; Tanner Hucks and wife Kirsten, Frisco, Zach Hucks, Amarillo, Kendall Hickman, Casper, WY and Becca Watt and husband Colton, Newcastle, WY, Jayme Lambert and husband Jared, Little Elm and Tori Ritthaler, Lewisville;10 step-great grandchildren; brother, Lee Cordell and wife Ruthie, Bowie; sister in law, Joyce Hickman, Bowie; nephew, Yancy Cordell and wife Darla; niece, Tracy Ashley and husband Steve and former spouse, Hubert Kelley, Austin.
Honorary pallbearers include Logan Thielepape, Joshua Kelley, Trevor Kelley and Ben Brittain.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff at Right at Home, The Blake – Waco and Gentiva Hospice, especially Teresa Dixon and Valarie Adams for the exceptional care, friendship and love you gave to our mom the last few years of her life.
In lieu of flowers, memorials contributions may be made to the Team Gleason Foundation, which exists to help aid those with ALS and eventually provide a cure, at teamgleason.org.
Arrangements entrusted to Grace Gardens Funeral Home of Waco.

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