Margaret Denny Hicks entered into perpetual life on July 14 in Shelby, North Carolina.
Margaret was born in Danville, Kentucky, the daughter of Charles Franklin Denny, II and Ruth Hopper Denny. She grew up on a working farm in beautiful Boyle County where she enjoyed riding her horse on a daily basis and drawing and painting the surrounding scenery. She attended Danville High School, Rhodes College in Memphis, and Centre College in Danville where she studied art. While still an undergraduate, her life path took an exciting new direction when she went to work as a summer staff member at Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain, North Carolina. It was here that she met Larry Hicks, her husband of 44 years, whom she married upon graduating from college in 1964.
One of Margaret's gifts that became her life's work was her effectiveness with children. She enjoyed a 40-plus-year career as an elementary school teacher, first with Baltimore City Schools, then with Shelby City Schools in Shelby, North Carolina, where she spent the bulk of her teaching career. She enthusiastically used her endless creativity and strong artistic talent in her classroom to enhance her students' learning experience. Sensitive to the individual needs of the children, she went out of her way to give love and extra care to her students and to make them feel special, particularly those most in need. She was recognized more than once as an exemplary teacher, and she continues to be remembered fondly by her former students.
Margaret's life was centered around the church. where she used her gifts as a faithful servant. She sang in the choir, taught Sunday school, attended Bible study, and, when needed, directed the children's choir. She was, most recently, a member of Myers Park United Methodist Church in Charlotte, where she enjoyed singing in the women's choir.
She loved helping people, and she made friends quickly and easily, wherever she was. She loved gardening, painting, and experimenting in the kitchen with new recipes. She was proud of her daughters, and she loved her grandchildren and followed their lives with keen interest. She was thrilled to welcome her first great grandchild in 2021 and elated at the birth of her second last month. She loved her animals throughout her life. She was a generous giver, caring for members of her family and community, volunteering and supporting her church and other charitable interests. She was an avid fan of the UK Wildcats basketball team and a lifelong Kentuckian through and through.
She is survived by her children, Catherine Hicks of Charlotte and Elizabeth Greene of Shelby, her son-in-law Mark Greene, her grandchildren, Charlie Greene, and Susan Greene Miller, her grandson-in-law, Dan Miller, and two great grandchildren, Grace and Andrew Miller, all of Shelby. She is also survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Charles and Glenda Denny of Sumter, SC.
A memorial service will be held to celebrate Margaret's life at Double Springs Baptist Church, 1130 Double Springs Church Road, Shelby NC, at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, July 19. Visitation to follow afterwards in the Fellowship Hall.
