John Wilbur (Will) Hicks, Jr., who made major contributions to fiber optics as an inventor, an entrepreneur, and a visionary, passed away on February 14, 2015, at the Overlook Rehab Center due to complications from a fall.

Jeff Hecht, author of City of Light, stated that, “the most important of Hick’s many inventions was the single-mode optical fiber, which others enhanced to make it the backbone of the worldwide telecommunications network. His first company, Mosaic Fabrications, was a pioneer infused fiber devices, and he founded a series of other companies in central Massachusetts. As a visionary, he was among the first to envision today’s high-capacity fiber-optic systems that can transmit many optical signals at different wavelengths simultaneously through one single-mode fiber.”

Hicks was active in AA for 41 years. During that time, he was particularly interested in helping newcomers to the program with their recoveries.

Will was born in Greenville, S.C. on January 13, 1924 , the son of John W. Hicks, Sr. and Neilie (McMillan) Hicks . He attended Greenville H.S., Furman University , University of Virginia and UC Berkley. He was a Lieutenant JG in the U. S. Navy serving on active duty from June 1944 to June 1946.

Will Hicks is survived by his wife, Marjorie (Rice) Hicks of Fiskdale; his children: Neil Hicks and his wife Beth Knoll of Portland, OR; John Hicks and his wife Heliane Pinto of Eugene, OR; Louis Hicks and his wife Patty Brown of Lansing, NY, Robin Hicks of Sturbridge and a step-son Kevin Reid-Rice of Vancouver, WA. He also leaves twelve grandchildren and one great-grandchild.