After a courageous battle with cancer, Irma L. (Hettich) Hickman, age 86, passed away peacefully at her home, surrounded by her family, on Sunday, June 28, 2015. She was born June 22, 1929, the fourth and youngest child of August and Juliane (Fischer) Hettich, in Wiesbaden, Germany, where she graduated from high school. She met her future husband, Richard “Dick” Hickman, who served as a PFC MP in the Army/Air Force stationed in her hometown. They were married on August 9, 1948, and Mrs. Hickman became one of the first WWII German war brides who traveled by ship to the United States, arriving in New York City in October 1948. They settled in Battle Creek, where they raised their three children. Their marriage ended in divorce. Irma was a stay-at-home mom, who, when her children were grown up, worked at the Dosca Home, and as a receptionist at Keiper Recaro, later called Atwood Automotive, where she retired in 1994. She was a member of St. Mark Lutheran Church and enjoyed many friendships within her church family. In her younger years, she was very active in the German-American Club of Battle Creek and enjoyed their many activities with her family and German friends. Irma was a wonderful cook and baker, and loved entertaining her family and friends at her home. Irma was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in the 1970’s, which changed her life a lot, but she always pushed through any challenge thrown her way. In February 2012, she was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. She immediately began treatment and was able to make a final trip to her homeland to visit with her family there. She went into remission in November 2013, but in the fall of 2014, she was diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer and the newer chemo treatments where not apt to help her enough and would greatly diminish her quality of life, so she stopped all treatments and became a patient of Heartland Hospice in October 2014. Irma was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Wilhelm Hettich, two sisters, Ida Fetter and Frieda Berger, and her former husband. She is survived by her daughters, Linda J. (Dave) Hyslop and Lori E (Dale “Ric”) Wilson, both of Augusta, MI; her son, Dave Hickman of Kalamazoo, MI. She is also survived by her six grandchildren: Angela (Scott) Glubke, Amanda Hyslop, Nicole Young, and Tory Hickman of Battle Creek; Katrina Telvani and Alex Hickman of Jackson, MI. She is also survived by her five great-grandchildren: Bradley, Joseph and Nathan Glubke, and Kevin II and Kelcey Patrick, all of Battle Creek; niece Barbara (Eric Prechtel) Hettich and grand-niece Maya Prechtel; cousins Elisabeth (Hermann) Karg and their three children, spouses and grandchildren, all of Urspringen, Germany; cousin Andreas Brinkmann of Wiesbaden, Germany. She also had many special friends, including Erika Flores, Inge Swamy, and Phillip and Leah Wuori. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 1, 2015 at Bachman Hebble Funeral Service, 223 North Bedford Road, Battle Creek, from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM. Funeral services commemorating the life of Irma Hickman will be held at St. Mark Lutheran Church, 114 East Minges, Battle Creek, on Thursday, July 2, 2015, at 11:00 AM, with Pastor Brad Hubbard of St. Mark Lutheran Church officiating. Burial will follow at the Memorial Park Cemetery in Battle Creek, MI. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: St. Mark Lutheran Church, American Cancer Society, Multiple Sclerosis Society of Michigan, Calhoun County Humane Society or a charity of one’s choice. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home. Arrangements by the Bachman Hebble Funeral Service, a member by invitation Selected Independent Funeral Homes. (269)965-5145 Please consider leaving a memory or condolence on Irma’s web site at www.bachmanhebble.com