Joan LaVonne Hicks, 81, beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, in Madrid, Iowa.
She was born Jan. 19, 1945, in Perry, Iowa, to Emmitt William and Lucille Oresta (Fazel) Anderson.
A memorial service will be held Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 12 p.m. at the Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home-Perry Chapel at 1721 Park St. in Perry. Visitation will begin at 11 a.m.
Joan grew up in the Perry area and graduated from Perry High School in 1963.
Shortly after graduation, she married the love of her life, James “Jim” Roger Hicks, on June 1, 1963, in Minburn. Together they built a beautiful life filled with love, laughter and cherished memories.
Joan devoted more than 40 years of her career to caring for others as a treatment worker at the Woodward Resource Center in Woodward before enjoying a well-deserved retirement. Her caring nature extended far beyond her work, as taking care of others was simply part of who Joan was.
Joan was outgoing, friendly and rarely met a stranger. Her family often joked that she could talk to a light pole and still get a response. She had a smile for everyone and a way of making those around her feel welcome.
She loved everything red, collected roosters and enjoyed the simple beauty of everything.
She also loved living out on the farm with Jim for over 10 years.
In recent years, Madrid became a special place for Joan, and she truly flourished there. She embraced her community and became an active part of life at the Madrid Home, where she proudly served as president of the Resident Council.
Above all else, Joan’s greatest joy was her family. She was incredibly proud of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and it didn’t matter whom she was talking to — before long, the conversation would turn to her family. They were the center of her world and the source of some of her greatest happiness.
Joan is survived by her loving children, Annette (Albert) Adams and Roger (Kristie) Hicks; grandchildren, Sir (Amber) Adams, Cory (Christi) Adams, Brannon (Trinity) Adams, Kristen (Aaron) Wolfe and Nathan Hicks; great-grandchildren, Abigail (Mulongo) Adams, Siranna Adams, Kira Adams, Anastasia Adams, Seraphina Adams, Lilianna Adams, Tommy (Alexis) Adams, Izzy Adams, Israel Adams, Ruthie Adams and Rayna Adams; brother-in-law, Barry (Patty) Hicks; sisters-in-law, Shirley Anderson and Carolyn Wachter; and numerous nieces; nephews; extended family members; and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Emmitt and Lucille Anderson; her beloved husband, Jim Hicks; great-great-grandson, Christopher Steven Adams; brother, Harold Anderson; sister, Rose Chambers; brothers-in-law, Lester Hicks and Bruce Hicks; and sisters-in-law, Brenda Brown, Winona “Nonie” Roberts and Iola Bainer.
Joan will be remembered for her warm smile, her gift for conversation, her caring heart and, most of all, the tremendous pride and love she had for her family.
Joan’s family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the staff of Madrid Home and MercyOne Hospice for the exceptional care they provided to Joan over the last two years. Their kindness, compassion and dedication gave the family precious additional time with Joan following Jim’s passing, for which they will always be grateful.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the family. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.caldwellparrish.com.