Beth A. Hickman age 84, of Sheldon, Iowa who passed away on Monday, June 1, 2015 at her home in Sheldon, Iowa. Her service will be 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 6, 2015 at the United Methodist Church in Sheldon, Iowa with Rev. Kevin Gingerich officiating,
Family graveside services will be at 10:15 am Saturday, June 6, 2015 at the East Lawn Cemetery in Sheldon, Iowa.
Visitation will be after 3:00pm Thursday, June 4, 2015 with the family present from 6-8 pm Thursday at the Vander Ploeg Funeral Home in Sheldon, Iowa.
Arrangements are under the care of the Vander Ploeg Funeral Home in Sheldon, Iowa.
Online memorial condolences may be sent to: vanderploegfunerals.com
Beth Arlene Hickman, 84 passed away on June 1, 2015 at her home in Sheldon, Iowa. She was born on February 2, 1931 in Quimby, Iowa to Clarence and Nola (Hunter) Pinkerton.
Beth grew up in Quimby, Iowa. She graduated from Quimby High School in 1949. After high school she attended the University of South Dakota in Vermillion South Dakota, then the Nebraska State Teachers College in Wayne, Nebraska and finally Saint Joseph’s Mercy School of Medical Technology in Sioux City, Iowa where she received a degree in Medical Technology. While she was in school polio had reached epidemic status. Proportionally, Sioux City was hit harder by the crippling disease than anywhere else in the country. Beth worked long hours in the hospital collecting samples that were used by Dr. Jonas Salk in his research to develop the Polio vaccine. She subsequently worked as a Medical Technologist in hospitals in Kansas, Missouri, Chicago and several years at the Sheldon Community Hospital. After meeting the love of her life on a blind date Beth married Richard Frank Hickman on November 7, 1954 in Quimby, IA. Following his graduation from Optometry School they moved to Sheldon, Iowa where they made their home and raised their three children Kimberly, Timothy and King. They were happily married for 50 years.
Beth was a member of the Sheldon United Methodist Church, PEO and the Red Hat Society and served on the Sheldon Recreation Board. She enjoyed traveling, camping, golfing, sewing, gardening and playing bridge having been a member of two different Bridge Clubs for over 50 years with dear friends who still love and support each other through thick and thin.
Beth was preceded in death by her husband, Richard; her parents, Clarence and Nola Pinkerton and her sister, Beverly Williams as well as her husband’s parents, Jesse and Lonelle Hickman and a brother-in-law, Fred Knauer.
Left to cherish her memory are her daughter, Kimberly (Dan) Vortherms of Derby, Kansas and their children, Dominick and Leslie; son, Timothy (Cindy) Hickman of Orange City, Iowa and their sons, Samuel, Max and Monte; son, King (Kecia) Hickman of Sheldon, Iowa and their children, Oliver, Hannah, Noah and Jesse. Also one great-granddaughter, Chloe Vortherms as well as a sister-in-law, Jo Knauer of Minneapolis, MN; a brother-in-law, Wes Williams of Smithville, TX and several nieces and nephews and other relatives.
