Lena Petit Hickman

HICKMAN, LENA PETIT (1894~1994) Lena Maria Pettit Hickman was born on March 12, 1894, in Waxahachie, Texas, to Benjamin Thomas Pettit and Maria A. Zollner. Her family moved to Dallas, where she graduated from the old Dallas High School in 1911. She excelled in athletic activities in high school and college at the University of Texas in Austin.

After graduating, Mrs. Hickman taught school until her marriage to Judge Hickman in 1923. After moving to Austin, she was active in the Methodist Church, the Austin Woman's Club, Red Cross, State Official Ladies Club, Austin Lawyers' Wives Club, Chapter BQ of P.E.O., the Pan American Round Table, and the University of Texas Ex-Student's Association. She and her husband also opened their home to foreign students from the University of Texas through the International Office at U.T.

In 1929, she was honored by the Balcones Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution with their medal of honor for "leadership, patriotism, and service." On March 6, 1994 she was honored at her centennial birthday celebration sponsored by the University of Texas School of Law and the Intercollegiate Athletics for Women at U.T. She died on August 14, 1994 and was buried beside her husband at the Texas State Cemetery.