Leona Mae Hicks

Leona Mae Hicks was born on the 29th day of November, 1913. She was born in the town of Model which is no longer in existence. She was the last child born to Milton and Orie Hicks. Leona was called Onie by all that knew her. Her favorite flower was the Peonie, which probably led to the nickname.

When Leona was a child she loved to go to court with her father and watch him reside over the current cases. This was; however, before he became the Judge of Stewart county.

Leona also attended several of the churches in Stewart county. She was first a member of Crockett's Creek church. The land that this church was located on, was donated by Leona's gr-gr grandfather Isham Sills. Leona also was a member later on of the Model Baptist Church. She also liked to attend services at the Penecostal Holiness church.

Leona married Elmer Eugene Smith, son of Andrew Jackson Smith and Cora (Baggett) Smith on the 25th day of May, 1936. Leona and Elmer had 4 children they are: Orie Jerelene born May 7th 1937, Lillian Lorena born August 8th, 1944, Hillman Eugene born November 1945 and Raymond Earl born September 15th 1947.

Onie's child, Lillian Lorena Smith was my mother. She wrote her biography for me several years before she passed. I will do a part series of that bio here on the blog. It mentions a few people from Stewart county and also talks of how life was there: her life, her family, her side of the story. It is a story that will pull at your heart strings.

My grandma Onie never left Stewart county. She lived there her whole life through. When she and my grandfather Eugene Smith married, they planted a willow tree in their yard. That tree is still there, but is now part of the park there by the river. I will post a picture of the tree that was taken both in the past and in the present. That tree holds a special meaning to our family. Leona died of a heart attack on April 1st, 1981. She is buried at Scott's Chapel; also know as PZ Ridge, located in the Cumberland City area. She is there along side her husband Eugene who died of Parkisons in 1967 and son Raymond who died of cancer in 1986.