Service Details
Homegoing services will be celebrated on Friday, September 19, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, 1123 Center Street, with Bishop Lawrence L. Kirby officiating. Visitation will be held at Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home on Thursday, September 18, 2025, from 5:00–7:00 p.m., and again at St. Paul MBC on Friday from 10:00–10:45 a.m. Interment will take place at Graceland Cemetery.
Annie Laura Hicks, affectionately known as “Sweetie,” age 75, passed away peacefully in her home on September 9, 2025, with her devoted daughters by her side.
She was born in Meridian, Mississippi, on May 13, 1950, to the late Johnny and Maggie (née Chambliss) Buckley. She was the second youngest of six children. From a very young age, she was nicknamed “Sweetie,” a name that became undeniably fitting over the course of her life. She always helped others in any way she could and possessed a warm, caring, and nurturing spirit. She later relocated to Racine, Wisconsin, and married Walter Ray Hicks. She was blessed with two daughters, Yolanda “Landa” and Pamela.
Annie was firmly rooted in her faith, having accepted Christ at a young age at Fellowship Baptist Church in Enterprise, Mississippi. She was a longtime, faithful member of St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, where she served on the usher board for many years. She was a firm believer in lifelong learning. Annie graduated as salutatorian from Central High School in Enterprise in 1968. She continued her education at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, earning a bachelor’s degree in education, and later obtained her master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin–Platteville. Her career in education spanned more than 32 years, most of which were spent teaching first grade at Wadewitz Elementary School. She made a tremendous impact as a teacher and was instrumental in shaping and inspiring the futures of many students. She retired from the Racine Unified School District in 2006.
Annie inherited a love for bowling from her husband, Ray, and they enjoyed competing together in weekly leagues and tournaments. After Ray’s passing, she continued to stay active in the teachers’ bowling league and volleyball team. Civic-minded and dedicated to her community, Annie volunteered at local food banks through Racine Harvest Outreach, tutored at Julian Thomas School, and served as Program Coordinator for the GEAR UP program at the George Bray Community Center. She was a lifetime member of the NAACP and actively participated in Get Out the Vote campaigns, canvassing during each election cycle. Annie loved to travel with her family and friends, exploring destinations across the country and internationally, including the Bahamas, Mexico, and St. Thomas. In her free time, she enjoyed playing Sudoku, growing tomato plants, and occasionally trying her luck at the slot machines. Of all the roles she held, the one she treasured most was “Grammy” or “Nana.” She cherished spending time with her three “grandboys” and embodied everything a grandmother’s love should be. Whether attending their concerts, field trips, sporting events, or getting down on the floor to play, she never missed a beat in their lives.
Her passing leaves an enormous hole in the hearts of all who knew and loved her. Annie was patient, kind, giving, and a peacemaker with a compassionate heart and a selfless dedication to her family. A breast cancer survivor and true warrior, her legacy of love, service, and faith will live on in the many lives she touched.
Surviving are her daughters, Yolanda (Amir) Kader of Chicago, Illinois, and Pamela (Delroy) Perrin of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; her adored grandchildren, Xavier Kader, Cullen Kader, Braylen Perrin, Jada Perrin, and Delroy Perrin, Jr.; her sister, Sylvia Diane Dawkins of Columbia, South Carolina; sisters-in-law, Elizabeth Buckley, Lucy Curtis, and Beverly Hicks; godsons, Andrae Harrell and Tremaine Young; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends. In addition to her parents, Annie (“Sweetie”) was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Walter Ray Hicks; brothers, Johnny, Samuel, and George Buckley; sister, Rebecca Bester; brothers-in-law, Robert (Lula) Hicks, Curtis (Barbara) Hicks, Thomas Hicks, and Willie Curtis; sisters-in-law, Opaline (Amos) Smith and Rebecca (Leonard) Johnson; and, just this year, by her special cousin and friend, Mollie Jones.
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