Willie "Ruth" Gant Hickey
Willie "Ruth" Gant Hickey was born on April 2, 1928, to William Manley Brown and Mary Alma (Smelley) Brown in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She and Elgar "Ray" Gant married and made their home in Tuscaloosa until moving to Tulsa in 1951 where they established their home and raised their children: Charles, Alice, Alma and Pam. Prior to her retirement, Ruth was employed by The Rooney Company and later by Tulsa Public Schools.
A devoted longtime member of Olivet Baptist Church, Ruth was passionate about many things,
including her children, reading her Bible, gardening, and visiting family members in Alabama. She
enjoyed many phone conversation with her brothers, sisters in law and many cousins, nieces and
nephews. Her home was always a welcoming place, and neighborhood children loved spending time there. Many in the neighborhood called her Grandma.
Several years after Ray's passing in 1984, Ruth married Noel G. "Curly" Hickey. Together they
continued to make their home in Tulsa until his death in 2012. Ruth was also preceded in death by her sister Francis Appleby and husband Rufus Appleby, son Charles and his wife Carolyn, her daughter Alice Gant Ramsey, daughter Pamela Gant, granddaughter Rachel Gant and grandson Brian Potter.
Ruth is survived by her brother John Brown and Nell Brown of Tuscaloosa, Nick and Charlotte Brown of Hoover, Alabama, daughter Mary Alma Gant Anderson and Keith Anderson of Washington State, step son in law, Doug Hand and wife Pam of Sand Springs, grandchildren Lisa Tucker and husband Jon of Sand Springs, Mary Morris and husband Sean of Collinsville, Christina Gant Hitchcock and partner Derek Goleman of Tulsa, Charles Ray Gant Jr. and wife Natalie of Tulsa, Jeff Potter of Cleveland, Katherine Anderson, Joseph Rodriquez of Washington State and step grandson, Dwaine Hand and wife Shannon of Tulsa. She is also survived by 19 great-grandchildren and 14 great -great -grandchildren and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Ruth will be remembered for her faith in our Savior, unwavering love of family, her kindness, and the warmth she extended to everyone who entered her home.