Barbara "Bonnie" Kelley Hicks

Barbara “Bonnie” Kelley Hicks, 84, of Jupiter, Florida, peacefully passed away on April 7, 2026, after a courageous battle with lung disease. Known for her ability to light up any room she entered, Bonnie was a devoted mother, grandmother, sister, and friend whose warmth and generosity touched countless lives. Born on February 23, 1942, in Carmel, California, to the late Brigadier General Harold Killian Kelley and Mary Louise Amies Kelley, Bonnie demonstrated early promise and determination, graduating as Valedictorian from Francis E. Hammond High School in Alexandria, Va in 1959. She went on to earn her degree in English from Duke University in 1963, beginning a lifelong connection to the institution she cherished. While at Duke, she was a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority and is where is met H. Mason Hicks Jr whom she married in 1963. They began their lives in Harriman, Tn and later moved to New York City. Bonnie settled in Bronxville, NY with her then husband Mason Hicks where she became a devoted mother to her two sons, Mason, born in 1967 and Christopher, born in 1970. She threw herself into community life with remarkable energy and grace, serving on the Bronxville Board of Education, the Board of the National Association of Junior Leagues and as President of the Junior League of Bronxville. She was involved with the Adoption & Children’s Services of Westchester and served on the Board of Family Consultation Service of Eastchester as well as a vestryman of Christ Church in Bronxville. She was also known for coaching her youngest son’s little league baseball team, affectionately called “the Dirty Dozen”, a testament to her willingness to show up whenever she was needed. At the age of 43, Bonnie redefined herself with characteristic courage, diving headfirst into a career in fundraising, first at Sarah Lawernce College in Bronxville and later at her alma mater, Duke University in Durham, NC. Upon leaving Duke, she moved back to Bronxville where she reinvented herself once again, building a career as a paralegal in New York City at Windels, Marx, Lane & Mittendorf LLP before joining Violi Law in Mamaroneck, New York, where she served as paralegal and office manager. Later in life, while living in Williamsburg, Virginia, she volunteered with the Ford’s Colony homeowner’s association and assisted in editing the local newsletter. Bonnie was one of the most devoted and spirited Duke Basketball fans, a fighter, a world traveler, an avid reader, a devoted crossword solver and a lover of jigsaw puzzles. Above all, she loved her family fiercely and was a friend to everyone she met. Her friends were truly family and her family was her entire world. She was preceded in death by her parents, Harold & Mary Kelley, her former in-laws, Mason & Becky Hicks and is survived by her sons, Hugh Mason Hicks III, daughter-in-law Jenna and Christopher Kelley Hicks, his wife Maureen; their father, Mason Hicks Jr & his life partner Joan Shannon (though their paths diverged, Bonnie and Mason remained friends and dedicated parents to their children and granddaughters); three beloved granddaughters, Casey, Courtney, and Ryan, who brought her immeasurable joy; brother Richard Kelley & his wife Judy; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews and countless friends. May she find eternal peace and rest in God’s grace. Bonnie will be cremated and her ashes will be spread in the Memorial Gardens of the Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. A celebration of life will be scheduled for a later date. The family would like to especially thank all of the aides that loved and cared for Bonnie as well as Trustbridge Hospice Care for their caring support. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to Trustbridge Hospice Care of Jupiter Florida at www.trustbridge.com Forever Family, Forever Duke

Barbara "Bonnie" Kelley Hicks

February 23, 1942 - April 7, 2026