Senator Roger Wicker issued the following statement.
U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., today issued the following statement on the passing of his father, Judge Thomas Frederick Wicker, 98, who passed away Friday morning at Baptist Memorial Hospital East in Memphis:
“My father spent his life in service to our country and our family. A World War II veteran, a public servant, a dedicated husband and father, and faithful Christian, he was a role model for many – and he was my hero. Our family is devastated to lose him, but we are grateful for a life well-lived, the wisdom he instilled in us, and the many years we spent together. On behalf of the entire Wicker family, Gayle and I deeply appreciate the expressions of sympathy and prayers we have received.”
Fred Wicker was born in Hickory Flat April 7, 1924. He grew up in Benton County, and attended Hickory Flat High School and later was a student at Holmes Junior College on an athletic scholarship. He was drafted in the U.S. Army in 1942. Wicker went to Fort Jackson, S.C., for his basic and advanced training in Field Artillery and Communications. He was later assigned to Europe to the 9th Air Force, 36th Station Compliment Squadron where he worked in communications. He served in France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, England, Luxemburg and most noteworthy in Normandy earning four battle stars. After the war he arrived in New York on December 25, 1945 and was later discharged from the Army Air Force at Camp Shelby on New Year’s Day 1946.
Wicker went back to Holmes Junior College after his service and graduated in June 1946. He carried on with his education at Ole Miss where he received his law degree in May 1948 and was president of his senior class. He met his wife Wordna Threadgill at Holmes Junior College and they were married on June 27, 1948. He opened up his law practice in Pontotoc in July 1948. His wife taught home economics at Randolph, Algoma, Thaxton, and Ecru High Schools before becoming his legal secretary.
Wicker had a long and distinguished career as city attorney and county prosecutor for 12 years, state senate for 3 years, and was appointed by Governor John Bell Williams as Circuit Judge for the 1st Judicial District in 1970. He served in that capacity for 20 years and retired in 1990. He and his wife had three children Ellen Wicker Cummings, Senator Roger F. Wicker, as well as their foster daughter, Mindy Staten Parrish.
Judge Wicker carried on his public service after retirement as an active member of the American Legion, the Rotary Club, Sons of the American Revolution, and Sons of the Confederate Veterans. He served as a deacon and Sunday school teacher at First Baptist Church, Pontotoc, Mississippi.
In addition to his children, Judge Wicker is survived by five grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.
11 comments:
A Great American
Greatest generation!
Not a single boomer, genX’r, millennial, or zoomer would be fit to carry his jockstrap!
I firmly have to agree with the 9:23 post. May Father was a WWII and Korean War Vet. Out of respect, please keep all negative comments to yourselves about The Greatest Generation and their Children. Thank you and Thank God for those men and women were there for the call. Until you listen to an old soldier about the absolute horrors of war there is no movie or book that can describe it. Each one has (had) their own story.
Judge Wicker was one of the finest gentlemen I ever had the pleasure of knowing. And one of the most interesting and entertaining. Listening to him talk of times - be it growing up in Hickory Flat MS, his scholarship attendance at Holmes, his time in the legislature and as a Judge - or just life in general. Plus, of course, his stories of WWII - something that many of us didn't get a chance to hear of from parents that died young; the vets wouldn't talk about that war at the time.
RIP Judge; you lived a long and honorable life, raised fine children and served as a guidepost for your grandchildren.
Wonderful legacy of service to others❤️🙏🙏❤️
A man's man in every way. Prayers and thoughts for the family.
In the not to distant future The Greatest Generation will be gone. My father was a B-24 pilot in the Pacific. He never talked about the war. We lost him on fathers day 2015. I was blessed to have met every man that was on his crew. They didnt speak much of the war either.
I didnt know Judge Wicker but have great respect to all the men and women that answered the call to serve our country.
Rest In Peace Judge.
My Pop was a WWII, Korea and Vietnam Vet with 38 years service. He served with other great men and women of that generation. My hat has always been off to all of them. RIP sir and welcome home.
Irreplaceable. Amen, 9:23!
My Dad was in the South Pacific and he was wounded by shrapnel and developed Encephalitis. He was never the same after the war and died at 68 because of the high fever (103) from Encephalitis. My respect and admiration goes out to all the folks that laid their very lives on the line. They were heroes. RIP Judge Wicker.
My condolences
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