Pastor Thomas Lee Hicks, Jr.

Pastor Thomas L. Hicks, Jr. was a faithful husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, and pastor over the course of a life that spanned 81 years. He was called home to be with the Lord on Monday, March 10, 2025. Born on October 2, 1943, to Rev. Thomas L. and Elrean (Bell) Hicks, Sr. in West Helena, Arkansas, he was the oldest of their 14 children. Starting at the age of two, he was raised in West Helena, Arkansas by his maternal great- grandparents, Mr. Add Lee and Mrs. Mandy Moore. He was reunited with his mother and father in Robbins, Illinois at the age of 12 and finished high school at Dwight D. Eisenhower High School. Thomas was very mechanical and loved to work with his hands, finding good, and sometimes creative, ways to make things work or put things back together. Fittingly, after high school, Thomas began his career as a laborer having worked for a number of companies, including Moore’s Wrecking Company and Alden’s Catalog Company. Along the way, Thomas met and married Frankie (Erby) in 1964, with whom he shares five children: Michael B. Hicks, Sr., Thomas L. Hicks III, Anthony A. Hicks, Sr., and Myron D. Hicks, Sr. In 1969, Thomas relocated his family to Saginaw, Michigan where he began work for Saginaw Steering Gear until his retirement in 1999. Upon retirement from General Motors, Thomas, who was not one for sitting idle, began work for Westchester Retirement Village where he was a beloved maintenance man for ten years until retiring again in 2009. Having grown up in the Progressive Baptist Church, Thomas found personal faith in Jesus Christ at Good Shepherd, C.O.G.I.C., which was pastored by the late Supt. Theodore Monroe. He was Superintendent of Sunday School and President of Y.P.W.W. In 1975, Thomas was called into Ministry and had the opportunity to serve under the guidance of Bishop Bailey and Supt. Roger Jones who oversaw his ordination into Ministry. Like Theodore and his other mentors, Thomas embodied a deep love for the Scriptures, diligently studying, teaching, and preaching them so that others would have a deeper understanding of them. In time, Thomas was sent from Good Shepherd to Garden of Gethsemane C.O.G.I.C. His outgoing nature served him well as he went door-to-door evangelizing and inviting people into what became a small but bustling neighborhood church. His relatable, kind, and caring spirit sustained his ministry as he called on parishioners to encourage them, even on days when he’d just worked an overnight shift. His teaching and preaching filled the sanctuary with the Gospel message as he guided parishioners into abundant life in Jesus Christ. Thomas would take on numerous leadership roles, having served under Bishop A.M. Smith, Bishop Isaac King, Jr., and Bishop John Sheard, Sr. He also served as the Chairman of the Saginaw Ministerial Alliance from September 1996 to December 1998. Thomas served as the Lead Pastor of Garden of Gethsemane until his retirement from ministry in 2018. As a father, he was stern but kind, patient, and even a little competitive. Thomas loved basketball having played regularly with his sons and their friends in their backyard. After hanging up his gym shoes, he watched basketball with his sons and, eventually, his granddaughter, Tierra Marshall, cheering for one of three teams: the Detroit Pistons, the Chicago Bulls, and the Los Angeles Lakers (before Lebron). When he wasn’t watching basketball, he watched action movies and Westerns, Steven Seagal and John Wayne being amongst his favorite actors. He loved food, never letting his wife’s cooking, including her chocolate cakes and sweet potato pies, go to waste. He enjoyed long and peaceful days on the lake fishing with parishioners and friends. Thomas was adventurous, always willing to explore parks with his kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids. He both loved and embodied truth, which made him not only an avid reader of the Scriptures but also always willing to repent when he would err a true hearer and doer of the Word. He leaves to cherish his memory: his wife, Frankie Hicks; as well as his four sons; 20 grandchildren including two special grandchildren, Tierra Marshall and Kyesha Hicks; 32 great-grandchildren; siblings, Beola, Clarence (Wilma), Willie, Mitchell (Candy), George, Alfred (Georgelynn), and Cleotis (Pam). Thomas was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Elrean Hicks; daughter, Alfreda G. Hicks; grandchildren, Anthony and Alexis Hicks; siblings, Dorothy Robinson, Lee Hicks, Jessie Hicks, Elvira Gosa, Marvin Hicks and David Hicks. Family hour will take place at 10:00 a.m. Friday, March 21, 2025 at Greater Love Ministries COGIC, 3829 Lamson St., Saginaw, MI 48601, with the funeral service commencing at 11:00 a.m. Pastor James Snead will officiate with interment in Forest Lawn Cemetery, 3210 S. Washington, Saginaw, MI 48601. Visitation will take place from 9:00 a.m. until the time of service.

Pastor Thomas Lee Hicks, Jr.

October 2, 1943 - March 10, 2025