Anna Lucille Hicks
March 11, 1929 – September 30, 2026
It is with heavy hearts we say goodbye to our beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother Lucy, who passed away peacefully on September 30, 2026, at Rose Villa at the age of 97.
Anna Lucille Essex was born March 11, 1929, to Wesley and Rose Ann Essex, the youngest of eight children. She attended Oliver School during the Depression of the '30s and as a teen during the war years of the '40s. Mom told many stories of their life living on a farm during these difficult years with food shortages, crop failures and brothers serving overseas. She would tell us about riding her horse Buster to school, who would buck her off and leave her stranded, her lunch box was the recycled Corn Syrup pail, Christmas Pageants at the School and how her mom made her first and only doll. At the age of 11 she was taught how to drive and at 13 was granted a permit so she could drive on the roads. She told the story of how she drove an old Model A car all the way to Calgary at the age of 13 with her elderly parents, a 13-hour trip.
With all of her siblings married and gone from the farm, Lucille was left to help her aging father with farm duties and her mother with household chores and garden, all while continuing with schoolwork to grade 9. During these two decades times were tough, but she often talked about how fortunate they were to live on a farm with a cow for milk, chickens for eggs and a huge garden to get them through. Although she was raised with not a lot of money, she was given much love and shown what family really was, a gift she gave back to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Lucille was very grateful when her older sister, Inez Porter, gave her the opportunity to move in with her to continue her education at St. Joseph's Convent in Rosetown. Inez was a Physical Therapist, so Lucille helped out with her practice by driving patients to and from appointments, laundry and cleaning. While completing her grade 12 she also worked nights and weekends at several downtown businesses to make extra money.
Her parents retired from the farm in 1947 and moved into Rosetown to operate a boarding house, and Lucy moved in with them to help with cooking meals, laundry and cleaning rooms for the boarders. Her father played the fiddle, her mom the piano, so many stories were told about the Essex House as the place to be for good music. Lucy learned at a young age to play the piano, mostly by ear because music books were too expensive and hard to find. Lucy played the piano right up to the last few months of her life at Rose Villa, entertaining staff and residents. After completing grade 12 she got a job with a local dentist, Dr. A. Handleman, where she worked for the next three years.
She married Donald Sweet in 1951 and they started raising a family. Barbara was born in 1951, Bonnie in 1954, Dona in 1955 and Brian in 1959. In 1960 Don and Lucille operated the local BA Service Station, Don worked the garage and Lucille the restaurant. In the late '60s they sold the business and Lucille returned to work for Dr. Handleman for the next 25 years. During her time there it was necessary for her to upgrade her dental qualifications, so she completed some courses by correspondence at first, then attended Kelsey Institute and graduated as a Certified Dental Assistant in 1978 at the age of 49.
During the years on the farm her lessons learned from childhood were put to good use while raising her family. Nothing in our house went to waste, she kept one of everything just in case it was needed. She was an excellent seamstress, making most of our clothes or mending anything that could be made to last longer. She was very active in the Lions Club with Don, the Legion Auxiliary, CWL and later Meals on Wheels. Summers were spent at Aquadeo golfing and winters were spent curling and bowling, which she did well into her 90s. She loved to have her grandkids stay with her and they all have their own memories of monster cookies, campfires and driving the golf cart.
She helped build their house on 7th Ave West in 1967, where many good neighbours became very close friends, sharing time at Aquadeo, house parties and Dance Club. So many good years were enjoyed with family and friends. Don passed away in 1990 and Lucille continued on with her life until retiring in 1993. She met and married Jack Hicks in 1995, moving to Saskatoon where they lived for several years, moving back to Rosetown before Jack's death in 2005.
Lucille's commitment to family, community and church kept her active and involved for many years. She moved into Lions Manor in 2007, where she lived and celebrated her 95th birthday. Her compassion for others motivated her to drive friends to Saskatoon for appointments, and her faith in God helped her through all her losses. Lucy loved to watch the Calgary Stampede for the chuckwagon races, she was a huge Blue Jays fan and always had gummy bears on hand. Anyone who knew her would say she had a life well lived.
Lucille is predeceased by her parents, Wesley and Rose Essex; four brothers: Walter, Bruce, Benjamin and Lytton Essex; three sisters: Mary Yarnall, Inez Porter and Edna Leslie; two husbands: Donald Sweet and Jack Hicks; two daughters: infant Bonnie in 1955 and Barbara Pearce in 2010; along with many very close and dear friends and in-laws.
Left to cherish her memory are her daughter Dona (Dennis) Ogg and their children Kerry (Allan) Deibert of Rosetown, their family Brendan and Kelly Deibert of Saskatoon and Adam and Erin Husband of Rosetown; Devin (Lisa) Ogg of Surrey, B.C., and their daughters Alex (Dallas) Dixon of Burnaby, B.C., Georgia Ogg of Vancouver, B.C.; her son Brian Sweet of Tappen, B.C., and his daughters Tara (Andre) Sweet and son Ethan of Medicine Hat, Erin (Wade) Brost and children Emery and Harrison of Calgary, Lindsay (Richard) Hahn and daughter Scarlett of Scotch Creek, B.C.; her son-in-law Russell Pearce of Rosetown; her grandson Lee Pearce of Whitehorse, Yukon, and his daughters Ophiela, Sara and Anna; her granddaughter Jenni Hanberg of Warman; Jack's children Bill, Barry and Barbara; sister-in-law Laura Sweet; and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, October 6 at St. Theresa's Parish in Rosetown, Sask.
Funeral arrangements entrusted to Shanidar Funeral Services.