Deborah Ann Hicks' Obituary
Deborah Ann (Gallimore) Hicks was born in Lynchburg, Virginia, on September 22, 1956, to Robert Gallimore and Margaret Clark, and passed away on July 2, 2026, at McAllen Medical Center in McAllen, Texas. She spent her early life living in many places with her father, stepmom Carol, sisters Sherry and Lisa, and brothers Bobby and Tim, because her father served in the United States Air Force until his retirement. She was a proud lifelong supporter of the United States military because of her dad. She would often talk about the places she had lived and was very fond of Guam and of going to the beach there. She was also very grateful for the time she got to spend as a little girl in Virginia with her grandmother (“Granny”), Granny’s husband “Papa John”, and all of her other relatives when she was there. In 1974, she married Jerry Hicks in Abilene, Texas, and they had two children, Jeremiah and Cristina. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years, taking good care of her family and also taking care of day-to-day things. Among the activities she volunteered to do during that time, she loved teaching Sunday School and being a Girl Scout Brownie Troop leader. After her divorce in 2002, she eventually moved back to Abilene and graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Hardin-Simmons University in 2006. She passed her RN licensure exam on the first try (which she was very proud of) and worked in various nursing roles over the next 16 years. She began as a medical-surgical nurse and then went on to work in prior authorization review, public health, school nursing, and home health. She ended her nursing career briefly, teaching future nurses at a local college. Deborah loved all of her grandchildren (Isaac, Zachary, Benjamin, Ethan, Emily, and Tabitha) and would often check in on them to see how they were doing and to sometimes give them presents. She also loved her little dogs, Hailey and Bella, who were with her for most of the last years she spent on this earth, and passed away just a few years before her.
The most important event in her life was when she accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior in Ohio as a teenager. She talked about it even within a few weeks of her passing. Despite any difficulties she may have experienced in life, her faith in Christ is what kept her going, and she would always turn back to that. There was a picture she had on the wall depicting Jesus sitting down with children around Him, and she would talk about how that is her favorite picture. She ultimately cared about people and wanted the best for them. She did not want to see harm come to anyone, which was a strong motivator in all that she did.
Deborah is survived by her children Jeremiah Hicks (wife Ariadna) and Cristina Truax (husband Jerry); grandchildren Isaac, Zachary, Benjamin, and Ethan (Cristina and Jerry), and Emily and Tabitha (Jeremiah and Ariadna); stepmother Carol Gallimore; sisters Sherry Burns (husband Brian) and Lisa Bonner (husband Derek); brother Tim (wife Brooke); and many aunts, uncle, nieces, nephews, and cousins whom she loved and who loved her. She was preceded in death by her father, Robert Gallimore, mother, Margaret Clark, and brother, Bobby Gallimore.
“People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.”
Mark 10:13-16 (NIV)
Because of God’s grace through her faith in Christ as her Savior, she is now with the Lord in His eternal love and peace. We will miss Debbie, but we will keep her memory alive in our hearts.
There will be a graveside service and burial at Elmwood Funeral Home and Memorial Park Cemetery in Abilene, Texas, on Monday, July 27, 2026, at 10:00 am. All who knew her are welcome to attend to share in her memory and honor her life.
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