More than 400 people packed the Burney High School gymnasium for the service, which touched on Wicks’ life, his large family and reinforced his faith and the faith of most in attendance.
Wicks, a lifelong musician, was baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness in 2006, which came after meeting his wife, Sonja, who introduced him to the church. Wicks himself had long been searching for meaning in life through religion, Minner said.
“He had a fire in his heart to learn about the Bible,” Minner said of Wicks.
Benton also spoke of Wicks’ generosity. He recounted the story of a woman and her child who came to the Burney area without food or money. Wicks took extra food from the Shell station hot case and gave it to them at the end of each day.
That same woman would later tell Benton of Wicks, “That man kept us alive,” Benton said.
“He was very happy, always had a smile or a joke and a little song,” he said.