BEATRICE – A well-known and respected school administrator and athletic official has passed away.  Russell Hicks, of Lincoln, formerly of Beatrice died Monday at the age of 84.

Hicks was involved in the field of secondary education as a teacher and coach, 27 years as a secondary principal, and 10 years as a superintendent. He received his master’s degree in 1974 and his specialist degree in 1981, both from the University of Nebraska- Lincoln.

Hicks served at four school districts… Waco Public Schools, District OR-1 at Palmyra and Bennet, Tri County Public Schools, and Johnson-Brock Public Schools.

Hicks was also a basketball official for 25 years, retiring in 1986 and he officiated football for nearly 15 years. He served as president of the Nebraska State Association of Secondary Principals in 1984 and was president of the Nebraska Council of School Administrators in 1985.

In 1986, Hicks received the Administrator Distinguished Service Award from the Nebraska Counselor’s Association as well as named as the Secondary Principal of the Year in Nebraska.

In 1988, he received the Administrator of the Year Award from the Nebraska State Bandmasters. He also received the Distinguished Service Award from the Nebraska Council of School Principals. In 1989, Hicks received the Distinguished Service Award from the Nebraska Association of Secondary School Principals and in 2003, was named the Outstanding Administrator by the Nebraska Rural Community School Association.

In 2017, Hicks was awarded a Lifetime pass for the MUDECAS Association for his involvement in the MUDECAS Tournament for over 50 years, in various capacities.

A Celebration of Life Service will be at 11:00 AM Friday at the Centenary United Methodist Church.  A memorial has been established to the Diller-Odell, Johnson-Brock, and Palmyra-Bennet School Foundations, and the Tri-County FFA program.