Judy A. Hickman

Mason City: Judy A. Hickman, 67, of Mason City passed away and was ushered to heaven by our lord and savior Thursday, April 3, 2014 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit with her family by her side. Memorial services will be held 11:00 AM Tuesday, April 8, 2014 at Grace Evangelical Free Church, 440 N. Illinois Avenue with Pastor Scott Davis officiating. Inurnment will take place in the Grafton Cemetery, Grafton. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 7:00 PM Monday at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, Mason City. Judy was born to the late Harvey and Linda (Bork) Bartz on a farm near Grafton, Iowa on Febuary 20th, 1947. She was baptized and confirmed at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Grafton, and attended elementary school in Carpenter. Judy excelled in school and was crowned homecoming queen by her peers before graduating from Northwood/Kensett High School in 1965. Judy was united in marriage to Russell Hickman June 4, 1966 in Kensett, Iowa and the two began a family. From this union, three children were born, Rhonda, Jay, and Scott. Judy was a dedicated mother and wife and was instrumental in establishing a chiropractic clinic with her husband, Russell, in Osage, Iowa. She would later work in the office at Fox River Mills in Osage then she went on to work at the North Iowa Title Company before retiring in 2011 from the Cerro Gordo County Abstract Company in Mason City. Judy was a dedicated employee throughout her working career. Judy was a member of Grace Evangelical Free Church and her greatest joy was her family; she was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother. Judy loved life every day and her favorite saying was “I am blessed”. She loved to host family gatherings and celebrate holidays together with her family. Quick to laugh and to cry, hug and to hold, to support and to enlighten with her wisdom, Judy was always there for others in need. True to form, she spent her last days helping her family cope with their inevitable loss. Judy is survived by and will be missed every day by her husband, Russell of Mason City; daughter, Rhonda (Joe) Neubauer of Springfield, Illinois; sons, Jay (Amy) Hickman of Hampton, and Scott (Shelly) Hickman of Mason City; grandchildren, Joey Neubauer of Springfield, Illinois, Amanda Hickman of Mason City, Alecia Hickman of Mason City, Jace Hickman of Hampton, Jaelyn Hickman of Hampton, Michael Hickman of Aurora, Colorado, Taylor Hickman of Mason City, and Rylee Hickman of Mason City; great granddaughter, Chandler Hickman of Glendale, Arizona; sisters, Bonnie (Virl) Deal of Grafton, Sharon (Allen) Anderson of Northwood; brother, Richard (Jean) Bartz of Eau Claire, Wisconsin; mother-in-law, Ruvella Barnd of Northwood; brothers-in-law, Ed Jordan of Grafton, Robert (Becky) Hickman of Northwood, Harold (Sally) Hickman of Littleton, Colorado, Marv (Nancy) Hickman of Forest City; several nieces, nephews, 2 special friends, Meg Staudt and Sandy Hamann; and many other friends. Judy was preceded in death by her parents, Harvey and Linda Bartz, sister, Betty Jordan and sister Karen Bartz in infancy; brother-in-law, Elmer Schultz; father-in-law, Ferguson Hickman; step father-in-law, Harry Barnd; sister-in-law, Carol Ryerson.