Faenelia Hicks of Lafayette, LA died January 25, 2001 at the age of 81.
Faenelia had been a member of the Society for Louisiana Irises since the mid-1940s when she came to Lafayette to teach Home Economics at the University. She shared an office with Marie Caillet and acquired the job of answering Marie’s mail during the summer vacations. Most of this mail was iris and iris society related, and thus she became interested and a part of the Society.
She worked on committees and was Chairman of the Special Honors Committee when it was organized in 1987. Her main contribution came during the early years when the Society held a picnic lunch on Saturday of the annual meeting. Faenelia was responsible for planning the lunch and the ordering and hauling of food for the 50 or 60 members that attended. In some years she prepared part of the food. As a resident of Lafayette, she always had guests staying with her on the meeting weekend and helped with the information and sales desk at the iris shows.
The iris ‘Faenelia Hicks’ was hybridized and introduced by Charlie Amy in 1969. It is a tall rose self that is still a good garden iris.
Ms. Hicks was born in Blanket, TX. She served in World War II and then returned to college to get her Master’s Degree. She taught clothing and textiles at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette.
