Linda L. Hicks

Linda Lucille Hicks, age 76, formerly from Morton, Illinois, passed away on May 24, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee.

Born on June 22, 1948, in Streator, Illinois, Linda was the daughter of Gerald and Mary Sweeden. She pursued her passion for helping others by attending OSF Nursing School, where she became a Registered Nurse—a calling that would define much of her life.

Linda dedicated 42 years of service to OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois. Much of her career was spent in the Cardiac Cath Lab, where her skill and commitment made a lasting impact on patients and colleagues alike. Her sharp wit and sense of humor brought light to even the most challenging days at work.

Affectionately known as "Yaya" by her grandchildren and other family members, Linda cherished time spent with loved ones. She found joy in reading and had a deep love for travel—always ready for the next adventure to photograph or story to dive into. Her spirited personality was matched by a playful disregard for traffic laws, a trait that became part of her enduring charm.

Linda is survived by her daughter Christen (Timothy) Siscoe; her son Jeremy (Stacy) Hicks; grandchildren Zackary (Bayley) Siscoe, Chloe Siscoe, Emerson Hicks, Elliott Hicks, and Lincoln Hicks; great-grandson Arthur Siscoe; and brothers Paul (Deborah) Sweeden, David (Laurel) Sweeden, Allen (Lori) Sweeden, and Richard (Carol) Sweeden.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 35 years, Edwin Hicks and her parents, Gerald and Mary Sweeden.

A woman of strength, humor, and compassion, Linda leaves behind a legacy of dedication to others—both through her long nursing career and the love she shared with her family and dear friends. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

May her memory bring comfort to those who knew and loved her. A celebration of life will be scheduled for later this fall in her long-time hometown of Morton, Illinois.