Doris Elizabeth Hickman dies at 90 in West Lafayette
Doris Elizabeth Hickman passes away at 90 in West Lafayette
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The Tech TL;DR:
- Doris Elizabeth Hickman died on November 2, 2026, at the age of 90 in West Lafayette.
- Her life spanned from her birth during a 1935 Indiana blizzard through a career at Kmart and retirement in 1996.
- Services are scheduled for November 12, 2026, at Soller-Baker West Lafayette Chapel, as reported by the Journal & Courier.
Doris Elizabeth Hickman, born Doris Elizabeth Pearl on December 31, 1935, passed away on November 2, 2026, at the age of 90, the Journal & Courier reported. Her entry into the world involved a severe winter storm, requiring her doctor to be escorted from Brookston by a snowplow to a farm home located on the corner of 750 N and 231, a few miles north of Montmorenci. Weighing three pounds at birth, accounts from her youth noted that her head fit inside a teacup and her body in a shoebox.
Graduating from Klondike High School Before Attending Purdue University
The daughter of Vincent and Cecelia Pearl, she attended Montmorenci Grade School before her family relocated to the Klondike area. She graduated from Klondike High School in 1954. Following high school, she attended Purdue University for one year prior to her marriage to John Hickman in 1956. Her late husband preceded her in death, along with two sons, Michael and Steve, and two brothers, Francis and Marvin Pearl.
Charter Membership at Blessed Sacrament and Kmart Career
As a charter member of Blessed Sacrament, she maintained deep ties to her local community. Her professional life included a 20-year tenure working at Kmart before she retired in 1996. During her retirement years, she tended to multiple flower beds, read extensively, played bingo, and attended garage sales. She spent three years residing at Park Square Manor while recovering from a broken hip, during which time she relied on assistance from nearby family members, including her grandson Brandon and his wife, Mary.
Return to Family Home and Caretaker Support
Following her recovery, she returned to her family home alongside her daughter Kate, who served as her caretaker to help support her ill son, Steve. The home and its surrounding yard featured newly remodeled flower beds resulting from significant work by her daughter. Surviving family members include her daughter Kate Redding, daughter-in-law Stacy Drake-Hickman, granddaughter Julie Berninger and husband Nick, grandson Brandon Hickman and wife Mary, alongside grandchildren Crystal Stone, Eric Hickman, and Alex Hickman. Her surviving great-grandchildren include Ava Stone, Janessa Hickman, Cameron Hickman, Colin Hickman, Haley Lawson, Evelyn Drake, Brooks Berninger, Rocio Corredera and husband Jordan with children Haley, Penelope, and Makenna, and Andrea Gaitan and husband Juan with children Alesso and Sierra. She also received weekly home visits and Holy Communion from Patrick Romano of the Church of Blessed Sacrament, which formed a regular highlight of her week.
Visitation and Interment at St. Boniface Cemetery
Visitation is scheduled from 1:00 pm until the time of service at 2:00 pm on Thursday, November 12, 2026, at the Soller-Baker West Lafayette Chapel, located at 1184 Sagamore Parkway in West Lafayette, Indiana. Interment will follow at St. Boniface Cemetery. The obituary details were posted online on November 07, 2026, in the Journal & Courier.