Elma W. Hicks of Vicksburg, a lifelong homemaker, died Thursday, April 7, 2011. She was born Oct. 17, 1917, in Philadelphia, Miss., to the late Mary Apperson and Gene Ward.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Coy H. Hicks; brother, Curtis Ward; sisters, Elnor White, Imogene Beckham, Earline Bates; and granddaughter, Tina Hicks Stewart.

She is survived by her sons, Franklin Hicks and his wife, Trudy, and John H. Hicks, all of Vicksburg; daughters, Clariece L. Messer of DeWitt, Ark., and Louise Vickers of Little Rock, Ark.; sisters, Arlee Dee Tullos of Vicksburg and Bernice Walls of Meridian; brother, Claude Ward of Philadelphia; eight grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

The family wishes to give a special thanks to the wonderful people who cared for Elma for the last years of her life at the Heritage House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Visitation is Monday, April 11, 2011, at 10 a.m. followed by the 11 a.m. funeral service at McClain-Hays Funeral Home Chapel in Philadelphia officiated by the Rev. Billy Brumfield of Immanuel Baptist Church in Vicksburg, of which Mrs. Hicks was a member. Burial will be at Bethsaida Cemetery in Neshoba County.