Orless "Lee" Hickman

Orless Lee Hickman, 77, son of the late Elisabeth (Betty) and Orless (Jake) Hickman passed away Sunday, August 9th, 2026, after a brief battle with cancer.

He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Rita, his daughter Carrie Christian and son in law Chris, daughter Kristi Axmacher and son-in-law Aaron, and grandchildren Alexis and Logan Hugh, and Lilly Christian. He is also survived by his loving sister, Marla Parrish and brother-in-law Tom, and many special nieces and nephews.

He graduated from PHS with the class of 1967, and Marietta College in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science Degree. He proudly served the US Airforce as a medic at Luke Air Force Base in Maricopa County, Arizona, where he reached the rank of Staff Sargent. He returned to West Virginia after 4 years of military duty to reside in Vienna, West Virginia. He was employed at Camden Clark Memorial Hospital as the Director of Respiratory Therapy; he retired after 36 years in 2008.

He loved his family and would tell you all about his children and grandchildren if you asked and sometimes even if you didn’t.

He enjoyed fishing, kayaking, and competing in the National Muzzleloading matches in Friendship, Indiana and competitions in Charleston, West Virginia. He enjoyed wood working, listening to gospel music, and watching West Virginia Mountaineer games.

He enjoyed trips with his wife Rita and stopping along the way for a “picnic” at a roadside park. They traveled to the beach, a trip out west for their 50th Anniversary, several trips to Georgia to visit his daughter Carrie, his son in law, and grandchildren. He always looked forward to their annual Anniversary trip to the mountains in October. He enjoyed special dinners at his daughter Kristi and son-in-law Aaron’s home. Family was everything to him.

He was a gentle, loving man who will be dearly missed by all who knew him.

Visitation will be Thursday, August 13th from 2 to 7pm at Lambert-Tatman Funeral home in Vienna, with Funeral Service Friday August 14th at 1pm.

Lambert-Tatman of Vienna is honored to assist the Hickman family.