TRIBUTE TO A FRIEND
                        Jim Farrell and Joe Pollio

On the morning of Tuesday June 8, 2010, along with Ted's family members
(Ted Jr, Patty) plus friends of the family, we joined a half-dozen other
barbershoppers (Larry Duggan, Len Garey, Milt Greffen, Bob Hastings, Bud
Laumann, and Tom Wheatley) at Crownsville Veteran's Cemetery, in honor of
Ted Hicks.  At that place there are many ceremonies every day, with only a
fifteen minute duration allotted for each one.  The reason is that so many
veterans now are joining guys like Ted, Bud Crusse, and other heroic
inductees -- this time into another group -- all on a path toward Heaven.

It's no exaggeration to call these guys heroes.  To illustrate that, just
imagine what our lives would have been if the U.S. had lost World War II.
Veterans of that war prevented a disaster that would have been worldwide
and permanent.

Different veterans have different stories.  For Ted it was the sinking of
his Destroyer by a Japanese torpedo.  There weren't enough life vests to
go around, so those with jackets held on to the guys without one (can we
say SOLIDARITY ?).  Blasts from gunboats were intended to shoo away the
sharks and, by the grace of God, it worked.  Rescue finally came -- after
NONE HOURS in the ocean.

Undoubtedly that experience by a young Ted Hicks contributed mightily to
his confidence -- which was always a quiet confidence.  Ted didn't talk
much about his experiences nor about himself.  He was extremely well
adjusted and highly talented.  He was also a guy whose gratitude never
wavered.  During one of the half-dozen times I (Jim F.) visited him this
year, he said -- while sitting in a wheel chair -- how he enjoyed his life.
On another one of those visits I gave him a little CD player with a CD I
made from the old Stereophonics vinyl album.  As we listened together, the
satisfaction on his face lifted me as much as it lifted him.

Different individuals will remember different facets of Ted.  A few
examples: He was enormously gifted with wood -- he could put together
anything with wood and make it look ingenious.  Among many barbershoppers
he will be remembered as the pitch-pipe guy for the CoC International
Chorus Championship performance under the direction of Bob Johnson.  Those
of us who had the privilege of singing in a quartet with him will recall
a guy with an exceptionally pleasing voice quality (with the Stereophonics
he sang in the Mid-Atlantic Regional finals as a lead -- then later, also
as a baritone) and a hilariously fun guy to be around.  As if all that
weren't enough, the guy was completely genuine.  Once when his job
situation was changing he offered to step aside to allow someone with
more time to take his place in the quartet.  Immediately I (Joe P.) said
"No, Ted -- you're a real person."  It might be possible to replace a
voice but not a person.  That replacement never happened; Ted was unique.
I remember some Sweet Adelines observing how well we all got along together.
We were friends first and then singers.

All of us who knew Ted are richer for being associated with him -- and
we are richer for having another friend on the path toward Heaven.