Jean Marie Hicker

Jean (Janina) Marie Sliwa Hicker (June 4, 1934 – October 7, 2025)

Jean was born on June 4, 1934, in the Cascade Mountains town of Cle Elum, Washington, to hardworking Polish immigrant parents. Her father, Antoni Sliwa, had a butcher shop there. A few weeks after Jean’s birth, Antoni closed his shop, a victim of the Great Depression and a contentious strike by the coal miners of the area which brought economic hardship to the entire community. In these difficult times, the family moved to Tacoma, where Antoni found work in a sawmill.

In 1938, shortly before Christmas, the family lost everything in a house fire. No one was at home at the time. Jean (always called by her Polish nickname, Jancia, by her parents) was visiting Santa Claus with her parents in a South Tacoma store. The site of their burned home was one of Jean’s earliest memories. The family was taken in by a kind neighbor, Mrs. Archie (Arciszewski), until they found a furnished duplex apartment. In that apartment there was an upright piano. Jean took a strong interest in the piano. When the family bought a new house on South Alaska Street in the Lincoln District, they bought the piano for Jean who began lessons. Jean showed much musical talent and would become an accomplished pianist.

Jean attended Lincoln High School. At Lincoln she met her future husband, James Allen Hicker. Jean and Jim (James) were married in 1955. They lived for a year in Germany while Jim served in the military. While there, they traveled to France and Italy.

Upon their return to the United States, Jean and Jim moved to the Federal Way area as Jim found employment with Boeing in Seattle and Jean worked for General Services Administration at McChord Airforce Base in Tacoma.

In Federal Way Jean and Jim raised a family of four children. Jean left her job to be a full-time mother and homemaker. She enjoyed cooking and all sorts of family celebrations. Jean liked camping with her family and especially stays on the Washington coast. Jean also loved to travel, dance, and play her beloved Steinway piano.

Jean was fiercely proud of her Polish heritage. For many years she was the organist at Saints Peter and Paul Polish Parish in Tacoma. She was an active leader in the Polish National Alliance. Jean loved cooking and baking Polish specialties for holidays and Polish community events.

Jean is preceded in death by her parents, Antoni and Anna Sliwa, her husband, James Hicker, her brothers Stan and Edmund Sliwa. Jean is survived by her four children, Robert (Rodney), Anthony (Betty), Michelle Toth (Christoph), and Anne Marie; and six grandchildren, two great grandchildren, and nieces, nephews, and cousins.