Joeneal Hicks (1958-2024)
November 7, 1958 - January 19, 2024
Beloved father, brother, uncle, and grandpa Joeneal Ryan Hicks went home to be with the Lord Jesus Christ on Friday, January 19, 2024 at Alaska Native Medical Center. Joeneal was born to Joe Hicks of Oklahoma and Ruth Hicks of Mentasta on November 7, 1958 in Anchorage, AK. Joe spent his childhood in Mentasta where he was raised to live traditionally off the land. He loved to camp, fish, hunt, and venture out endlessly through mountains, creeks, streams and lakes. He often spoke of his mother and grandmother, who contributed to his deep affection to protect and preserve the Ahtna land.
Many people who knew Joe would agree that he was the “provider” of his family and was known as being “highly intelligent and one of the smartest men they knew.” He graduated at the tender age of 16 years old, then went on to serve proudly in the Marine Corps. During this time, he traveled the US and also spent time in Thailand and Japan. He attended UAF and Dartmouth and was once offered a spot at Yale, but ended up falling in love.
Janeal was his first daughter whom he loved and yearned to spend more time with. Being the stud muffin he was with his red Monte Carlo; he fell in love again. Ashley was the daughter he would often speak of when he first embraced her into this world; he was so proud to explain how he caught her with his bare hands. Joel was the son he always hoped for, and he was super proud of being a dad to a son finally. He worked various jobs: firefighting, tribal administrator, land management, also working for a time for MSTC and Cheesh’Na. That is when Casanova fell in love again. He finally settled in Copper Center as the land manager for Ahtna, Inc., where he retired at the age of 55.
Joe could be stubborn but he was amazingly wise and full of knowledge that he made sure would be passed on to his children and grandchildren. He loved his grandchildren fiercely and would do just about anything for them. He helped raise Dez’aiah the first 3 years of her life. During this time, he began attending church at Copper Center Chapel and began a journey with the Lord attending church every Sunday. He would be seen almost every day proudly walking to and fro with Dezzy on sleds or an old rusty wagon that he once pulled Joel and Ashley on as children. He would find old bikes and wagons that reminded him of his children’s childhood and repair them so he could play with his grandkids. He enjoyed making fish wheels, working in his garden, and using his hands to work with wood.
The Hicks family.
He pushed his children to value education; to be self-sufficient; and to never depend on others. He liked to tease and would make others do pushups and smell his feet when they asked for something. He had a special relationship with everyone and gave a nickname to his friends and every single niece he had. One of his other proud moments was when he met his youngest son this summer.
Being the Sweet he was, he left behind four beautiful children who will not only carry on Joe’s legacy, but who will always have his integrity, his wisdom, his spirit, and his strength–a piece of him will always be in their heart.