It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Hickson, then 42, said three creatures with leathery gray skin and crab-like claws he thought they were robots took them by the forearms and levitated them aboard the craft. Published in The Framingham Tab from May 21 to Jun. Wilma Lorene Durtschi. Creating an obituary on Echovita is free. Simply browse the Brownwoods obituaries listing you can find on this page or conduct a search on the web site with your loved ones name. 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(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert), In this Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2013 photo, Calvin Parker, Jr., stands in the area where he and fellow Mississippian Charles Hickson were allegedly abducted by aliens on Oct. 11,1973, on the banks of the Pascagoula River in Pascagoula Miss. Please contact us or stop by to tour our funeral home in Lake Charles or to discuss your service needs. But local people remember though often with skepticism and jokes. Never.". . "Me and the other investigator got up and left to let them talk, to see if they were going to say, 'Well, we got them fooled,' but they didn't," Ryder said. For his part, Parker said hes had conflicting thoughts over the years about that night in 1973. Share Obituary: Charles Hickson. Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. . Walker and Sons Shipyarda job Hickson had helped him to get. Processing/documentation fees apply to cash and credit transactions. At one point, he wasnt even sure the creatures were aliens. Hickson with a book he co-wrote about UFOs. According to Hicksons account, two of the creatures from the ship seized him and another grabbed Parker, who fainted. If you wanted to listen, by gum, hed tell you., He could never understand why he was chosen, the younger Hickson added. November 1, 2019 The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". We remain committed to the health of our guests and are proud to offer remote planning consultations. "This is something I really didn't want to happen," Parker told The Associated Press as the 40th anniversary of the encounter approached. If you know of an upcoming event for Charles Hickson, please add one. Let us show you how. After teaching at the Gordon Street School in Framingham, in 1952 he was hired as assistant treasurer at the Framingham Cooperative Bank (now MutualOne Bank), where he embarked on a 54-year career. Tribute Archive. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. The incident made headlines, sparked UFO sightings nationwide and became one of the most widely examined cases on record. As a community-minded mortgage lender, Charlie earned a reputation for serving a generation of first-time home buyers and small business people, often judging them on their character over their qualifications on paper. Jesus Christ have mercy., I dont know what happened to them, Ryder said. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Charles Hickson never regretted the notoriety that came his way after he told authorities he encountered an unidentified flying object and its occupants 40 years ago on the banks of the Pascagoula River. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. USS SEGUNDO artwork property of Thomas Denton, all rights reserved. In his book "UFOs Explained," he noted Hickson changed some details of his story and claimed a polygraph operator whose test Hickson passed wasn't up to the task. Parker and fellow Mississippian Charles Hickson were allegedly abducted by aliens on Oct. 11,1973, on the banks of the Pascagoula River in Pascagoula Miss. Burial arrangements under the direction of Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. Parker, now 58, was 18 when he went fishing with Hickson on a tranquil Thursday night after work. The incident made headlines, sparked a wave of UFO sightings nationwide and became one of the most widely examined cases on record. (LogOut/ He is memorialized by MutualOne Bank through the Charles W. Hickson Scholarship, established in 2015, which is awarded annually to a Framingham high school student headed for college. On the evening of October 11, 1973, 42-year-old Charles Hickson and 19-year-old Calvin Parker told the Jackson County, Mississippi Sheriff's office they were fishing off a pier on the west bank of the Pascagoula River in Mississippi when they heard a whirring/whizzing sound, saw two flashing blue lights, and observed an oval shaped object 30-40 feet across and 8-10 feet . Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. He said that just recently he met a woman at a gas station who already knew who he was. (AP Photo/Mississippi Press, File), In this Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2013 photo, Calvin Parker, Jr., poses for a photograph at his home in Moss Point, Miss. See our. Yes, simply click Add a photo located underneath the main photo of the obituary then upload the photos/videos you wish to share. The incident made headlines, sparked UFO sightings nationwide and became one of the most widely examined cases on record. I wasnt there with them, but I know you dont fake fear, and they were fearful. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Charles Hickson to pay them a last tribute. "I wasn't there with them, but I know you don't fake fear, and they were fearful. After teaching at the Gordon Street School in Framingham, in 1952 he was hired as assistant treasurer at the Framingham Cooperative Bank (now MutualOne Bank), where he embarked on a 54-year career. See pictures of features and amenities or schedule a tour. He briefly tried to capitalize on his story in 1993 by starting a Louisiana company called UFO Investigations where he and partners would produce television segments on the subject. Christopher Hickson's passing on Tuesday, December 28, 2021 has been publicly announced by The Daleiden Mortuary in Aurora, IL. Family and friends can send flowers and/or light a candle as a loving gesture for their loved one. Offer applies only to pre-need funeral contracts and excludes cash advance items. (Gary Holland/AP). Complete the form, and a funeral planning advisor will contact you right away. But Calvin Parker Jr., the other man present for one of the most high-profile UFO cases in American history, has never come to terms with what he still says was a visit with gray, crab-clawed creatures from somewhere else. At the Jackson County Sheriff's Department, deputies initially suspected both men were drunk. You cant get over it in a lifetime. Plant a tree to honor the memory of your loved one. Christopher was a 2010 graduate of West Aurora High School. Then-Capt. Hickson co-wrote a book about the experience and spoke openly to reporters about the abduction, while Parker kept a low profile over the years. Add a Memory Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. Complete funeral planning, including electronic signature, without needing a funeral home visit, Services available to support planning events. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. January 24, 1925 - It was his first day on the job at F.B. In this Oct. 18, 1973 file photograph taken in Gautier, Miss., Charles Hickson, left, and Calvin Parker Jr., of Pascagoula, Miss., recount the experience of their alleged abduction by aliens while they were fishing. February 20, 2023 (98 years old) View obituary. Parker says he was conscious but paralyzed. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. (William Colgin/AP). Share Obituary Let others know about your loved one's death. Webmaster: Merle Hendricks. At the Jackson County Sheriffs Department, deputies initially suspected both men were drunk. In the 1960s, interest flared anew with a series of reports, including the purported alien abduction of New Hampshire couple Betty and Barney Hill in 1961. Parker said the intrusions by curiosity seekers have become less frequent over the years, but have never really let up. He says the encounter on Oct. 11, 1973, turned his life upside down. No services are scheduled at this time. Share a memory. . My sincere condolences to Jean, Kathy, Michael and Patti for the loss of a wonderful man. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. He tried to dodge the spotlight for decades, moving frequently before returning to Mississippis Gulf Coast in recent years. Parker attended some UFO conventions, and was once hypnotized by Budd Hopkins, a noted UFO investigator. Until his death in 2011, Hickson told his story to anyone who would listen. Charles W. Hickson, a lifelong resident of Framingham, died May 19, 2017 at the age of 92. Hes on disability aid now, but sometimes boats by the site of the encounter when he goes fishing. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. Roughly 1,000 cars converged on the spot, where nothing happened. Parker and Hickson stuck to their story. There are no events at this time. They might have been demons, he said. There's still time to send flowers to Charles Vermont Harris's service. And then they were back on the shore, where it all began. *Save $550 on a $5,500 funeral plan. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. Or you may fill out our contact form. 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Skeptics ranged from the deputies who first interviewed the men to an author who sought to poke holes in the story, and Parker himself has had conflicting thoughts about whether he was visited by aliens or demons.