July 11, 1948-August 24, 2020

Marcia Evelyn (Perley) Hicks, 72, died on August 24, following a long illness.

A longtime resident of Southbury, she was predeceased by her parents, Ken and Elizabeth Perley; an older brother, Ken Jr; and the love of her life, her husband, Robert Gene Hicks.

Marcia is survived by her two daughters and their husbands, Christy (Hicks) and Lou Spinelli of Middlebury and Shannon (Hicks) and John Will of Sandy Hook; and three grandchildren, Danielle and Cory Spinelli of Middlebury and Katherine Will of Sandy Hook.

Marcia grew up in Shelton. She was a student in the city’s public school system, and graduated from Shelton High School. She went to work shortly after graduation, and worked in various jobs for the remainder of her life.

A competitive horse rider during her early years, Marcia stopped riding shortly after meeting Bob Hicks in 1968. They met one night while attending a party, each with a date. She fell hard for him as soon as she heard the southern accent of the Tennessee native. They began dating the following day, and were married in November 1969. They began their family immediately, and moved to Southbury soon after.

She took a break from work following the birth of her first daughter, and was a stay-at-home mother until both of her children were well into their school years. She returned to work then, and eventually entered the field of electrical and lighting distribution, which she enjoyed and excelled at. She retired in 2016.

Marcia loved the music of John Denver, as well as Jimmy Buffett and Melissa Etheridge.

The first concert the Hicks daughters went to was John Denver. The family of four went to a show at New Haven Coliseum in the mid 1970s. For the final days of Marcia's life, an iPod filled with Denver's music played for her around the clock.

Marcia was beyond thrilled when she had the opportunity to meet Etheridge following the singer-songwriter’s concert at New Haven Coliseum in 1994. While she never met Buffett, she enjoyed at least one of his colorful concerts at The Meadows in Hartford.

She loved gardening, and turned the hilly backyard of her Southbury home into a tier garden, creating levels of plants that included catnip for her daughters’ cats. After moving into Heritage Village in the early 2000s, Marcia continued gardening, joining the community garden group and tending her plot, often with the help of her grandchildren. She had a particular fondness for sunflowers.

She loved spring, and First Day of Spring picnics, regardless of the weather.

She enjoyed reading and, for many years, photography. Marcia also enjoyed traveling to northern New England, particularly the White Mountain range in New Hampshire. She loved the idea of moose, but never had the opportunity to see one in life.

While the birth of each grandchild filled a large place in her heart, Marcia was never the same after the death of her husband on September 15, 1985. She witnessed the accident that took the life of the man she loved so deeply.

Marcia’s daughters ask family and friends to remember the vibrant woman their mother once was.

In lieu of flowers, Christy and Shannon request donations in memory of their mother be offered to Heritage Village Ambulance Association, PO Box 2045, Southbury CT 06488; or Southbury Ambulance Association, 68 Georges Hill Road, Southbury CT 06488, both of which responded to repeated calls for help numerous times in recent years. Memorial contributions to the organization of one’s choice in Marcia’s name would also be welcomed.

As was the case 35 years ago, following the death of her husband, Munson-Lovetere Funeral Home is helping the family with her arrangements.

A memorial service will be held at a future time.

Marcia will be buried in Pine Hill Cemetery in Southbury, next to her late husband.