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Rory Kent Hicks was born November 2, 1959 at Newman Memorial Hospital in Shattuck, Oklahoma to Kenneth Paul and Doris (Sutton) Hicks.  He passed away peacefully in his sleep on May 27, 2023 at Newman Memorial Hospital, Shattuck, Oklahoma.  During Rory's first three years of life, they lived in an apartment on the second floor of his Grandmother Hick's house until they moved to their new home across the alley.  Many of his early years were spent going back and forth across the alley to his grandmother's house.  Summer days were spent there with the cousins in the sand pile under a tree or shooting bottle rockets from the upstairs balcony with grasshoppers tied to them or blowing up ant dens with firecrackers.  Yes, this was where his love of pyrotechnics came from!

At the age of twelve he was baptized into the Apostolic Faith Church where he attended with his Grandma Sutton, who incidentally was convinced that he was to become a preacher.  In 1966 he started school at Arnett Public Schools and graduated from Arnett High School in 1978.  During these years a love of art was born, a talent he continued to pursue his whole life.  It was also during this time that his talent and love for music was nurtured and bloomed.  At fifteen he began playing drums in what was his first rock band and from that moment on music became a main focus in his life, a career goal and dream to always strive for.

Rory was a lifelong supporter of the Boy Scouts of America and worked his way up to become the nation's youngest scout to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout at the age of thirteen.  At the age of sixteen he became a licensed private pilot and continued to stay active in flying up until the last few years of his life.  He was a member of the EAA-Experimental Aircraft Association and owned two experimental aircraft that he was extremely proud of and never failed to talk about.  He also enjoyed the position of airport manager for the Woodward airport for several years.  He enjoyed his group of hangar bum friends and interacting with the teenagers that would come to work there.  His joy in teaching them about aircraft and aviation was amazing.  Rory also worked for Ellis County and Lipscomb County as a grader operator for several years until his retirement in 2016.  He never lost his love for running heavy equipment and wouldn't miss a chance to get back on one.  During this time he turned back to his music.  In 2014 he met a drummer named Dean Foster and they formed the group Trench Monkey.  He so loved to perform and took the persona of 'Lord of Thunder' as he is known to their many fans that are all over the world.  He continued to dedicate his time, energy and passion until his health prevented him from performing last year.

We can't speak of Rory without mentioning his love for his four legged fur babies-his cats.  He was an avid cat lover.  His kind heart could not stand to see any cat go hungry or homeless.  His babies lacked for nothing, especially Millie, his mother's last surviving cat that went for rides and chicken strips.

He is preceded in death by grandparents Roy and Hallie Sutton, Grandmother Mae Hicks, his parents Kenneth and Doris Hicks, cousin Rodney Hicks and twin nephews James and Justin Eggleston.  He is survived by his sister, Shane Eggleston and husband Ben of Higgins, Texas, nephew Brad Eggleston of Arnett, Oklahoma, one aunt Sarah Ann Hicks of Arnett, Oklahoma, a host of cousins and a wealth of lifelong friends.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Higgins Hog Roast Scholarship Fund in care of Shaw Funeral Home, P.O. Box 276, Vici, Okla. 73859