Mary Regina Bicknell

Mary Regina Bicknell, 86, of Columbus, GA, died Wednesday, September 14, 2022 at Piedmont Hospital.

A memorial service will be held 10:30 AM Saturday, September 24, 2022 at St Anne’s Catholic Church according to McMullen Funeral Home and Crematory, 3874 Gentian Blvd. Columbus, GA 31907.

Mary was born on October 17, 1935 to Frances and Robert Kehoe in Middletown, NY, but she was raised by George and Betty Green (“Nanny and Pappy”) who fostered her in a loving and caring family proving that mother and father described not birth but love. The happy childhood she had in the small town of Stony Point, New York produced a smart, vivacious girl with a streak of common-sense pragmatism (One of her favorite stories was when a boy she dated told her “I can see the stars in your eyes” and she giggled in his face).

And then, in 1957 she went out with Richard “Dick” Bicknell, a soldier home on leave and three days later they were man and wife. Anybody would be forgiven for thinking that such an impulsive marriage couldn’t last. But after sixty-five years we have to concede that these crazy kids knew what they were doing. Dick, who always considered himself an exceptionally fortunate man said that his  luckiest moment was when she said “yes.”

Six months later she was living the life of an Army wife overseas in Augsburg, Germany. An experience that she would often describe  as both one of the  hardest and best times in her life. She was also pregnant with her first child Mary-Beth. Richard came a year later almost to the day. The next year brought Kevin. Three years and two weeks later Michael was born, followed two and a half years by Kathy. Less than eight years after she said “I do” she found herself the mother of five children (and with a husband who was overseas serving in Korea, Lebanon and Vietnam during a good chunk of this time).

And she excelled at it, thriving on the chaotic adventure of family life, so much so that in late middle age when she saw that her family had fallen in love with Scott, a young foster ward of her mother, she said ‘one more time’ and he became Scott Bicknell. She shepherded her kids through high school and some form of higher education, and was always there when they needed anything, if only a hug.

Mary spent her later years volunteering at St. Anne’s Outreach and the St. Francis Auxiliary when she wasn’t traveling to Ireland, Israel, Italy, Greece, England and Spain, taking care of her adored Yorkie, Maggie and enjoying retirement with Dick. She lived to see her grandchildren, Lyle Monroe Cammon and Mary-Margaret Cammon marry Emily Cammon and Jonathan Thompson respectively. She recently celebrated the first birthday of Jack Thompson, her great-grandson.

She is survived by Major Richard Bicknell, Mary-Beth Cammon, Kevin Bicknell, Michael Bicknell, Kathy Williams and Scott Bicknell, the memory of Richard Bicknell Jr. (who died tragically in 2020), Lyle Monroe Cammon (Emily), Mary Margaret Thompson (Jonathan), Jack Thompson, JoBeth Thomas, Maggie, and the light and love of a good life.