William Campbell Hickey Jr., retired Army colonel
William Campbell Hickey Jr., Col. US Army Ret., 82, of Rehoboth Beach, formerly of Cape Cod, Mass., passed away Friday, Oct. 19, 2018, at Delaware Veterans Home in Milford. He was born June 21, 1936, in Fall River, Mass., son of the late William C. Sr. and Edwina (Lawrenson) Hickey.
Col. Hickey graduated from B.M.C. Durfee High School in Fall River, after which he graduated from Providence College in 1958, later receiving his MBA from Boston University in 1971. Additionally, he was a graduate of the Command General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
Col. Hickey built his career in the U.S. Army, serving honorably in the Air Defense Artillery branch from 1958-82, earning the Legion of Merit and retiring with the rank of colonel. Col. Hickey finished his career at Raytheon Company in 1995. He was the former president of Sight Loss Services on Cape Cod, a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary on Cape Cod and a member of the Retired Officers Group. Above all, he cherished time spent with his beloved family. He was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, who will be deeply missed by all who knew him. Col. Hickey lived by the motto “God, Family and Country.”
In addition to his parents, Col. Hickey was predeceased by his brother Paul H. Hickey. Col. Hickey is survived by the love of his life, his wife, Claire (Coulombe) Hickey of Rehoboth Beach, whom he married Nov. 28, 1959; his sons: Daniel Hickey, FBI Special Agent Ret. (Colleen) of Stafford, Va., Colin Hickey (Jennifer) of Waterville, Me., Christopher Hickey, Col. US Army Ret. (Beth) of Lexington, Ky., and David Hickey (Kimberly) of Potomac Falls, Va.; his daughter, Carolyn McLane (Jeffery FBI Special Agent Ret.) of Lewes; his grandchildren: Caitlin Swanson (SSG Jacob) of Ft. Belvoir, Va., Benjamin Hickey of New Orleans, La., Erin Hickey of Arlington, Va., SGT Jonathan Hickey of Ft. Riley, Ks., Amanda Hickey of Lexington, Ky., Julia Hickey of Lexington, Ky., Kevin McLane of Lewes, De., Jacob Hickey of New Orleans, La., Lauren McLane of Lewes, De., Christopher Hickey of Shanghai, China, Matthew Hickey of Stafford, Va., Jackson Hickey, Alexandra Hickey, Liam Hickey, Peyton Hickey, and Riley Hickey, all of Potomac Falls, Va.; and his great-grandchildren: Kennedy, Charlotte, and Emma Swanson, all of Fort Belvoir, Va.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, Oct. 26, at 11 a.m., at St. Jude The Apostle Catholic Church, 152 Tulip Drive, Lewes, where friends may visit beginning at 10 a.m. Interment with honors will take place at Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery following Mass. Arrangements are being handled by Parsell Funeral Homes and Crematorium, Lewes.
In gratitude for the excellent care provided by the Delaware Veterans Home, memorial contributions are suggested to Delaware Veterans Home, 100 Delaware Veterans Blvd., Milford, DE 19963.
Please visit Mr. Hickey's Life Memorial Webpage and sign his online guest book at www.parsellfuneralhomes.com.
