She was unstoppable. Geraldine “Grandma” Hickle, who blessed her friends with coleus from her side yard, could also sit and tell stories for hours and hours to anyone who would listen.
But Geraldine’s story, which included a time without running water, teaching in a one-room schoolhouse and living in America through the uncertain times of WWII, ended Tuesday morning as she went to Heaven to be with her Maker, the love of her life, Bud, and her son, Matt, at the age of 97.
Geraldine Herriott Hickle was born on a farm northwest of Mahomet in 1919. Her parents, Matt and Mary Hoit Herriott lived on the farm until they moved into town in 1926. After graduating from Mahomet Community High School in 1937, Geraldine attended Illinois State Normal University where she received her teaching certificate.
Geraldine was 10 years old when the United States banks closed in 1929. Through the 1930’s, the country suffered through the Great Depression.
In 1941, Geraldine married her high school sweetheart, Harold “Bud” Hickle. The couple was able to purchase a small, two-bedroom bungalow house on the corner of Elm St. for $2100.
After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 4, 1941, Bud enrolled in school at Chanute Air Force base in Rantoul. He was then sent to England as a propeller specialist on the B-17 Bomber during WWII.
While Bud was gone for three years, Geraldine taught in a one-room schoolhouse south of Mahomet. She also taught second and third grade for two years at Mahomet Grade School during the war.
The couple communicated by airmail and v-mail, also known as Victory mail, which was censored and photographed letters sent between those at home in the United States and troops serving in WWII. She wrote Bud a long airmail letter twice a week and a shorter v-mail letter every night. Geraldine kept many of these letters.
Bud came home safely from WWII in July of 1945. During the 30 days that he was home, the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, forcing the Japanese to surrender the war. The couple received word that Bud would stay at Roswell Air Base until he was discharged. Geraldine decided to stop teaching and join him in New Mexico for the six-week stay.
“If we had a marriage license, the fellows could come home from base every night on the bus. The U.S.O at church would serve a meal for the few servicemen and their wives. So we walked to the church and got dinner, then the bus would pick Bud up every morning to go back to the base. We rented a sleeping room, which was a converted porch on a home. It was like a second honeymoon for us after Bud had been gone so long,” Geraldine said.
When orders came through that Bud was discharged, the couple came back to Illinois on a troop train. Bud received his papers at Chanute Air Force Base.
“After the war, we didn’t have anything but our little home, each other and our love for one another. When Bud got home, our little home was paid for. I had sold our car because you couldn’t get gas during the war. Everybody had coupon books for gas, sugar and other scarce items,” she said.
“Everything stopped for the war. Everyone stopped everything they ever meant to do and worked for the war effort. They didn’t make cars or refrigerators. When Bud came home in October we didn’t have a car and I was expecting a baby, so we put our name on a list for a car. When Fred was born in April, we still didn’t have a car yet. It took them that long to start making cars again,” she continued. “Bud rode to work with someone else. Back then people carpooled. You could find a way.”
After the war, Veterans started the American Legion Post 1015. They organized and built the post home on Main Street in Mahomet.
“We built that building through volunteer work. It was hard times in 1946. Wives of the American Legion, or helpers, started the American Legion Auxiliary 1015 Unit and furnished the kitchen with various money making activities,” Geraldine said.
According to Geraldine, Patton Lumber donated much of the material that went into that building, and Williams Plumbing took care of the plumbing and heating.
In April of 1946, their first child, Fred was born. In the next six years, they also had two girls, Mary and Susan. Geraldine put teaching aside to raise the three children until 1958, when she had their fourth child, Matt.
Although they were adding onto the bungalow house, the couple decided to buy a four-bedroom home when Matt came along.
Geraldine started substitute teaching, while Bud managed the Stanner Seed House in Champaign for 15 years. They were busy with their children at church, school, scout and 4-H activities.
“We did everything together. I would work in the store with him in the spring. He would mow the lawn and I would do the trim. We were out there together, got done at the same time, then came in together,” Geraldine said. “He worked long hours, but we raised our children and got them all educated.”
Bud passed away in 1975 after an aneurysm. A month later, Matt suffered a seizure while playing basketball at school. After some tests, they found out that Matt had a brain tumor. For nearly 14 years Geraldine made sure that she was there for her son through his surgeries and treatment. At age 30, Matt passed away.
“We had such a wonderful life together. I think that’s why I’m so healthy now. I think your attitude has a lot to do with it,” Geraldine said.
During these hard times, she lived by the three F’s: faith, family and friends. And until her passing, she lived by the three H’s: health, happiness and home.
Looking for a way to deal with her grief and her son’s illness, Geraldine joined a quilting class in Champaign with some friends from the Auxiliary. This started an addictive and time-consuming hobby dating back to pioneer days.
Before women were allowed to vote, they got together to quilt, using old suits and material. This gave them the opportunity to keep up on news. Today, she continues to make many different types of quilts for churches, family, the Auxiliary and receiving blankets for babies.
Her home, located on Union Street, sat behind a historical brick sidewalk, which and her neighbors spent time uncovering from the sod that had grown over it. Taking care of the sidewalk and her yard, which included landscaping she designed and planted with 30 different species of Coleus, a vegetable garden, two grape vines and a variety of flowers occupied much of her time in recent years.
Geraldine also participated in the American Legion Post Auxiliary Unit 1015 and the Home Extension Group. She was also an active member of her church, Mahomet United Methodist Church, for over 80 years.
Over the years, Geraldine also watched many children in Mahomet. Within the community, she is known as “Grandma Hickle” to those whose lives she’s touched.
But above all else, Geraldine’s heart remained with her family. She referred to her husband as “My Bud” and her children and grandchildren as “Mine.” She said she talked to her six grandchildren weekly and called her great-grandchildren the “loves of her life.”
She was so tickled to receive a cookbook, “Cooking 101 with Geraldine Hickle, which was assembled by her grandchildren for her 90th birthday.
Mahomet has lost one of the greats in Geraldine. The mighty woman, who lived 97 years, 2 months and 1 day, saw things that so many of us just hear through stories. And there was no one better to tell these stories because Geraldine told them through her eyes of love for her family, friends and community.
The visitation for Geraldine Hickle will be Saturday, May 21st at the Mahomet United Methodist Church at 10 am with the funeral service following at noon.
