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Brace Leonard Hicks, 81, died Tuesday, June 28, 2011, in Clarendon.

Services were held Saturday, July 2, in First Baptist Church in Howardwick with Rev. Dave Stout, Pastor, officiating. Interment was held at Panhandle Cemetery in Panhandle. Arrangements were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.

Brace was born October 4, 1929, in Nolanville, Texas to Brace Larkman and Lula Pearl Kirkpatrick Hicks. He married Joy Oden on June 21, 1949, in Whitharral. He had been a longtime resident of Panhandle before moving to Howardwick in 1993. He loved fishing, camping, and sports. He also loved dominoes and was a great 42 players. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Howardwick.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Mary Jo Harrell; and a daughter in law, Joan Hicks.

Survivors include his wife, Joy Hicks of Howardwick; 3 sons, Tony Hicks of Marion, Terry Hicks of Weatherford, and Toby Hicks of Howardwick; two daughters, Lynn Legate of Panhandle and Cheryl Peterson of Lebanon, IL; a brother, Kenneth Dean Hicks of Kileen; ten grandchildren; and twenty-four great-grandchildren.

The family requests that memorials be sent to the American Cancer Society or the Howardwick Volunteer Fire Department.

A local family is in need after a fire claimed their home and possessions.

The two-story residence of Nathan and Shonda Lowrie, located on 198 Becky Drive in Howardwick, burned on June 23. First Assistant Chief Jeremy Powell of the Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department said the fire started at 2:26 a.m. from a BBQ pit.

The family, consisting of Nathan and Shonda and their 17-year-old son, 12-year-old daughter, 16-year-old niece, and family friend, were asleep when the fire started, a
family member said.

Alicia Medina, who was staying with them at the time, got up to get a drink of water and thought she smelled something. Meanwhile, Nathan got up to check on his coughing daughter and smelled smoke. They evacuated the house, and Shonda dialed 911. They only got out with the clothes they had on: no shoes or car keys.

The Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department arrived on scene at 2:36 a.m.
The fire destroyed the house, two vehicles, a small fishing boat, tools, mowers and other equipment that Nathan used to earn a living, damaged two other vehicles, and claimed the life of their small dog before the firefighters extinguished it at 6:30 a.m. There were no injuries.

The Lowries had full coverage on the two vehicles but had no insurance on their house. They are currently staying with Nathan’s parents.

A fund for them is set up at the Donley County State Bank.
“People have been very nice,” Nathan’s mother Paula said. “There’s been an influx of clothing come in, and they now have several changes of clothes.”
A total of 13 volunteer firefighters from Clarendon and Howardwick Volunteer Fire Departments and ten trucks responded to the fire. The Donley County Sheriff’s Office and Clarendon EMS also arrived on scene.