Frank Jason Hicks

05-16-1975

Frank Jason Hicks, Sergeant Major in the Utah ARMY National Guard, died in a tragic motorcycle accident on September 4, 2020, in Roy, Utah, at the age of 45. Jason was born in Escondido, California, on May 16, 1975, to Carel and Vern Hicks. Later that year, their family moved to Utah, where Jason graduated from Cottonwood High in 1993.

In 1999, Jason enlisted in the Utah ARMY National Guard and went to Fort Jackson, South Carolina, to complete basic training. In his 21 years in the military, he served as a forward observer, a FIST Chief in Iraq with the 1-163 Infantry, a Howitzer Battery Platoon Sergeant with A 1-145 FA, 4th Infantry Division MCPOD First Sergeant, and until his death, the Operations Sergeant Major for the 1-145 Field Artillery. See you all in the Fiddler’s Green.

Jason was also hired on to the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office on August 16, 1999, to become a corrections officer at the Salt Lake County Jail. He thought better of that and became a police officer with Unified Police Department on August 8, 2003. Jason held many community-policing positions within the office as a Kearns/Magna detective, SPLD, SWAT, and until his retirement in June of this year, he worked as a detective with the homeless at the Midvale Family Shelter.

The freedom Jason felt when riding his bikes will never be replicated. In his short time after retirement, he was able to go on a few long rides: one to the Oregon coastline with his brother Byron and friend Tom; a trip to Sturgis with friends Monica, Craig, Cherry, and Yon. Shorter trips included those to Talisman Brewing Company, Trapper’s Loop (one of his favorites), the Motorcycle Museum in Eureka, Utah, Torrey, Utah, and to his brother’s house to tinker and drink beer.

He didn’t talk much but when he did, it was something either funny or important. Jason had high expectations for his friends, colleagues, and soldiers. Jason was a mentor and a leader to so many, it will be impossible to fill the gaping void left by his death.

Jason is survived by his adoring parents, Carel and Vern, his brother Byron/John (Michelle), his niece Isabelle, and nephew Charlie.

#stopwastingyourlife #barrelchestedfreedomfighter