Betty Thomas Ricks
Betty Jean Thomas was born on December 10, 1942 in Caldwell County, Kentucky. She was the second of seven children born to Clifton Doris “Eli” Thomas and Dollie Vanell Smith Thomas. Eli was a native of Trigg County, Kentucky and was a prominent farmer and livestock dealer and was a descendant of Starkie Thomas. Dollie was born in Reynolds, Arkansas and worked as a homemaker. Betty’s siblings were, Josephine Thomas, born in 1940 and married Jerry Carr and then William Howard Williamson; Clifton David Thomas, born in 1947 and married Sandra Lou Alexander and then Linda G. Stiles; Deloris Ann Thomas, born in 1948 and married Leslie Ray Burnam; Brenda Dale Thomas, born in 1950 and married Thomas Ray Knight and then a Mr. Underwood; Bobby Gail Thomas, born in 1951 and married Mae Elizabeth Francis and Ross Thomas, born in 1954 and married Gayla R. Curtis. In addition, Betty had three half-siblings, Doris Young Thomas, born in 1923 and married Frances Louise Hawkins; Naomi Jane Thomas, born in 1931 and married Chester McPherson and then Gunther H. Priester and Bessie Nell Thomas, born in 1934 and married Ralph V. McClure.
Betty grew up in Princeton, Kentucky and on February 9, 1963, she married John Ferd “J. F.” Ricks of Trigg County. J. F. was born January 18, 1940 and was the son of Earlie Preston and Annie Maud Noel Ricks, both natives of Trigg County.
J. F. worked as a drywall hanger, but new buildings were very slow in 1963 in Trigg County. So soon after Betty and J. F. were married, they moved to South Holland, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago and then later to Gary, Indiana. In 1967, Betty and J. F. moved to Blue Island, Illinois in their pursuit of better jobs. Finally, they moved back to Cadiz in 1968 and built their first house outside the town. In 1972 they sold their home and purchased a small farm in the Oakland Church community where they built their second home where their children grew up enjoying the country life. J. F. continued to work in the building business. He became the original owner of Cadiz Drywall, Inc. and later became a partner as a building contractor. In 1985 Betty and J. F. after living 13 years in the country sold their country home and moved back to Cadiz.
Betty chose to become a stay-at-home mom as her boys grew up. In 1974, she and a business partner opened a childrens clothing store which she operated for six years, closing in 1980. For the next five years she worked at the Trigg County Hospital until 1985 when she obtained her real estate license. She then became a sales associate with Century 21 Thomas Real Estate. Betty was very successful in the real estate business and in 1992, she became the owner of her own realty firm, the Coldwell Banker Service 1st Realty in Cadiz. Betty worked over 32 years in the real estate business in Trigg County. She was a member of the Pennyrile Board of Realtors, where she served on the Board of Directors and was awarded the Realtor of the Year in 1994 and 2016.
Betty and J. F. were the parents of four sons, Jeffrey Scott Ricks, born in 1963 and married Miranda Glass and then Rebecca Lynn Herndon; Timothy Darren Ricks, born and died in 1966, having lived only five days; Kerry Trent Ricks, born in 1967, and married Angela Marie Drennan and then Lori Lea Brandon and Joel Todd “Joey” Ricks, born in 1970 and married Melanie Dawn Williams and then Beth.
Betty died on April 18, 2018 at the age of 75 at her home in Cadiz. She was buried in the Lawrence Cemetery in Trigg County. J. F. died on December 12, 2022 at the age of 82 in the Trigg County Hospital. He was buried in the Lawrence Cemetery next to his wife.
J. F. Ricks
J. F. and Betty Ricks
J. F. and Betty Ricks tombstone
LINEAGE: (Betty Jean Thomas Ricks was the daughter of Clifton Doris “Eli” and Dollie Vanell Smith Thomas and the granddaughter of Robert Allison and Emma Nora Cunningham Thomas. Robert Allison was the fifth child of Stanley and Emily Ann Light Thomas. Stanley was the second child of Starkie and Mary Bridges Thomas. Starkie was the fourth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)
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