Gwen Wilson Hicks

Gwen Wilson Hicks of Canyon, Texas, passed away on July 31, 2026.  Memorial services will be at 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, at Hillside Christian Church - Amarillo West Campus with Russ Barksdale officiating.

Gwen was born on July 31, 1960, to Bill Arlin and Dorothy Wilson in Odessa, Ector County, Texas. She grew up with her older brother, Brian, in both Denver, Colorado and Odessa.

Gwen graduated from Permian High School in 1978, and felt a call to care for children through education. She was accepted to West Texas State University and began to work towards her Bachelor of Arts. While she was there, a cute boy in her Biology class asked her out, and on July 5, 1980, she married the love of her life, Andy Hicks, at First Baptist Church, Canyon. Gwen received her degree and teaching certificate in 1981 and began her teaching career at Sundown Elementary. She took a brief break from education starting in March 1983, when her daughter, Erin Hicks (Moon), was born. Two years later, her son, Drew Hicks, was born in April 1985. She stayed home to raise and delight in her children until 1989, when she returned to teaching as a fifth-grade teacher at Oscar Hinger Intermediate School. From that year to 2000, she also taught at Rex Reeves Elementary, where she was a beloved kindergarten teacher. In 1998, she went back to school at West Texas A&M University and earned her Master’s Degree in Counseling in 2000. This brought her to her final job at Canyon ISD: counselor at Westover Park Junior High. In 2004, she joined the team at Region 16 Educational Service Center, serving in various capacities as Director of Instructional Services, Coordinator of Curriculum and Instruction, and finally, Coordinator of Head Start. Gwen retired from formal education in 2014.

In between the work, a lot of beautiful life happened. Gwen and Andy welcomed their adored grandchildren to the world. First, Alice Holland Moon arrived in July of 2009, followed by Marlo Clementine Moon in January of 2013, and finally, Cyrus Andrew Moon in October of 2017. That same year, Gwen began a journey that would impact the entire Texas Panhandle with her vision when she founded Amarillo Angels, a foster care organization that provided much-needed support to foster families in the area. For nine years, she was the Chief Dreamer of Amarillo Angels, working tirelessly to change the statistics around foster care through mentorship, volunteering, and community engagement. Her work was so powerful, her influence so far-reaching, that hundreds of foster families had their worlds utterly transformed. Gwen never took a salary from Amarillo Angels and volunteered her time, energy, and leadership to make a positive, lasting change.

After retiring (for real this time) from Amarillo Angels in 2025, Gwen continued to serve her church and community. She ministered in various capacities at First Baptist Church in Canyon for over forty years: the Praise and Worship Team, the church choir, teaching Sunday School, volunteering with the youth group, and serving on committees. She became a member at River Fellowship Church, where she was just about to help launch a women’s mentoring program. Gwen also volunteered with the Canyon Lion’s Club, as well as Canyon Main Street. Her care for people was recognized often, including receiving Brickly’s Volunteer of the Year award in 2025, Canyon’s Citizen of the Year award in 2025, a special commendation for the protection and care of children from the Texas DPES, and many more.

She also loved to spend time with her friends and family, whether through traveling all over the world, enjoying dinner together, playing mahjong, or on the golf course.

She is preceded in death by her father, Bill Wilson, her mother, Dorothy Wilson, and her aunt, Billye Dean. She leaves behind her college sweetheart, Andy Hicks (Canyon, TX), her brother, Brian Wilson (Watertown, TN), her daughter, Erin Moon (Birmingham, AL), her son, Drew Hicks (Canyon, TX), her son-in-law, Ben Moon (Birmingham, AL), her sister-in-law, Dawn Wilson, her granddaughter, Holland Moon (Birmingham, AL), her granddaughter, Marlo Moon (Birmingham, AL), and her grandson, Cyrus Moon (Birmingham, AL).

It’s impossible to put into words the void left by Gwen’s absence. She mentored, counseled, cared for, and loved so many people so well. She took seriously the words of James 1:27: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and genuine is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…” and we were all made the better for it. We mourn the loss of our beloved wife, mother, sister, and friend, and we rejoice that she is receiving her heavenly reward: seeing Jesus face to face.

Please consider continuing on Gwen’s legacy of love with a donation in her honor to Amarillo Angels (5600 Bell, Ste 105, #196, Amarillo, Texas 79109) or the Hicks Family Scholarship at WTAMU (WTAMU, Box 60766, Canyon, Texas 79015).