Lidabeth Hicks, a long-time resident of Coupeville, Wash., passed away peacefully Dec. 23, 2020. Born in Tacoma, Wash., May 4, 1921 to Edward and Myrtle Onstott, she was raised on the family farm in Sumner, Wash., along with her younger brother Tommy. She attended Sumner High School and was very involved in music, playing violin and piano and was a drum majorette for the school band, leading the Daffodil Festival parade.

During high school, while skiing on Mount Rainier, she ran into Tyrone Power and Sonja Henie on the set of the movie “Thin Ice.”

Upon graduation from high school, she attended Central Washington College in Ellensburg, Wash., as a music major. While there she met her husband John Hopkins. She performed and taught ballet and dance for a year after college graduation. Afterwards, John and Lidabeth secured teaching positions in Coupeville, Wash., in 1949, where Lidabeth taught fourth grade. They raised two children, son Eric and daughter Carolee.

Lidabeth was heavily involved in the community, helping with dinners for the Lions Club, volunteering at the hospital, music programs at school, gardening club, Audubon Society, walking club, Coupeville Historical Society. She was a long-time member of the Coupeville Methodist Church. She especially enjoyed playing in the hand-bell choir.

Always avid boaters, Lidabeth and John were instrumental in starting the Whidbey Deception Pass Boat Club. John became the club’s first commodore. Later, this became what is today’s Oak Harbor Yacht Club.

Upon retirement from teaching, Lidabeth and John spent a year in Jamaica. There, they volunteered at a small school, where she acted as the school librarian and John as industrial arts teacher.

Mom’s interest in music also led her playing classical guitar as well as violin, performing in the string quartet at Whidbey Playhouse and a few times with the Bellingham Orchestra.

Upon John’s death in 1985, Lidabeth stayed active with her interests along with her children’s. In time, Keith Hicks, a long-time friend from her college days, asked her to marry. Truly the love of her life, she and Keith had 10 wonderful years together before his passing in 2000.

After Keith passed away, her son Eric proposed a short boat trip to introduce her back into boating. This trip to the San Juan and Gulf Islands became an annual event, during which she eventually revisited all the places she had been to years before.

She is survived by her daughter Carolee; son Eric and his wife Ruth; grandson Miles and his wife Nicole; and great grandson Duncan.

A private graveside service for Lidabeth was held at Sunnyside Cemetery. A public celebration of life will be announced at a later date.