Lt. Col. Merle R. Hicken, Retired U. S. Air Force, died December 1, 2009 at Moses H. Cone Hospital.

Mr. Hicken was born June 18, 1931 in Northfield to Arah W. and Pauline Beatrice Hazelton Hicken.

He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from the Golden Gate College.

He entered the Air force and served on many bases in the U. S., the Panama Canal and France.

Mr. Hicken retired from service in 1975 with the rank of Lt. Colonel.

Following military service, he and his wife moved to Florida where he was employed with Marathon Oil Company for ten years. In 2000 he and his wife relocated to Greensboro, NC to be near his daughter and sonin law. On November 16, 1955 he married Joanne Hanson, with whom he shared fifty-three years of loving marriage until her death two weeks ago on November 17, 2009.

Surviving are his daughter, Gail Crabtree and husband Charles of Greensboro, NC and one son, Bruce Hicken and wife Barbara and one grandson, Nathan Hicken, all of Hinesburg, Vermont. Mr. Hicken has one brother Ronald Hicken of Lake Charles, La.

In accordance with their wishes, Merle and Joanne will be buried together in Vermont in the Spring of 2010. Memorials may be directed to Moses Cone Regional Cancer Center 501 N. Elam Ave. Greensboro, NC 27403. Please share your condolences with the family at www.mem.com. Sechrest Funeral Service in High Point, NC is serving the family.