Evelyn M. Grant

Evelyn Mowrey Hicks Grant, 90, passed to her Heavenly home on November 4, 2023 surrounded by her loving family. She was a resident at the DuBois Village. 

Evelyn was born in Hormtown. She grew up on the family dairy farm, the youngest child of Homer and Charlotte Weary Mowrey. She graduated from the Reynoldsville High School in 1950.

Evelyn worked at the Brookville Glove Factory and Sylvania before marrying her first husband Gene Hicks, in September of 1953. Together they ran a trucking business and had 3 children. In November of 1962, Gene was killed in a private plane crash, along with 3 others. As a single mother, Evelyn was a leader of Girl Scouts, 4H, and active in the PTA. Through the PTA, she met James Grant, a math teacher with the Brockway School District. They married in April of 1969 and together they built their home on Jim’s family farm. They raised dairy cows and sold milk to local families and later to V.T. Smith Dairy. She was a charter member and E.M.T. with the Brockway Area Ambulance from 1973 until 1979.

Evelyn was a member of the Beechwoods Presbyterian Church, and later Brockway Presbyterian, serving in several roles. She was an accomplished musician, playing the guitar, banjo, piano, organ and the accordion for community events and square dances. She sang with community groups, including church choirs, Pitch Pipers and most recently The Village Voices. She along with Jim, were active in the Grange, Jefferson County Fair, Dairy Promotion and Meals on Wheels. In 2008 Evelyn was named Brockway’s Woman of the Year. She loved gardening, canning and providing family dinners, for whomever “showed up”.

Evelyn is survived by her children; Wendy (Richard) Smith, Westville, William (Jill) Hicks, Brockway and Tim Hicks, Brockway, along with her grandchildren, Holly (Deepak) Donahue Singh, Dana (Jenny) Donahue, Lindsay (Jim) Vito, Lorae (Steve) Murray, Sarah (Mike) Welch, Mike Schachter, Daniel (Krystal Yale) Hicks and Adam Hicks. Great-grandchildren, Anushka Singh, Eleanor Donahue, Mason and Kaden Ashcroft, Ella and Alex Vito, Raylin and Paysen Murray and Senora, Pearl and Josie Welch. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, husbands Gene Hicks and James Grant. Two sisters, Betty Crawford and Charlotte “Valjean” Kennedy and three brothers, Homer “Junior”, Mervin and Walter “Dan” Mowrey. 

Visitation will be on Wednesday November 8th from 2-4 PM & 6-8 PM at the Shugarts Funeral Home Inc. in Brockway. A Funeral Service will be held on Thursday November 9th at 11:00 AM at the Presbyterian Church in Brockway with Rev. Terry Felt officiating. Burial will follow in the Beechwoods Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the Hormtown Community Center C/O HCC Building Fund 1340 Apple Orchard Road Reynoldsville, PA 15851 or Brockway Area Ambulance PO Box 222 Brockway, PA 15824. Online condolences may be left at csfhinc.com

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