Mrs. Ida Mae Cross Hicks

Mrs. Ida Mae Cross Hicks of 5431 Slosheye Trail, Vienna, Georgia, died Sunday, July 19, 2026, at Atrium Health in Macon, Georgia.

The funeral service will be held on Sunday, July 26, 2026, at 2:00 PM in the chapel of the J. W. Williams Funeral Home in Cordele, Georgia. The burial will follow at the Bethel Cemetery in Cordele, Georgia.

Everyone entering the funeral home for visitations or services is required to wear a mask and maintain social distancing. A mask must be worn throughout the stay. You must supply your own mask.

Ida Mae Cross Hicks, a beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 19, 2026. Born on October 6, 1945, in Vienna, Dooly County, Georgia, Ida was the cherished daughter of the late Sanford Cross and the late Ola Mae Rogers Cross. She was educated in the public schools of Dooly County.

She accepted Christ as Lord of her life and united with the Beulahland Baptist Church in Cordele, Georgia.

Ida was a dedicated worker who spent 28 years as a faithful employee at the Cordele Uniform Clothing Factory, where she worked faithfully until her well-deserved retirement.

Beyond her hard work, Ida had a vibrant spirit and a deep passion for life. She found great joy in the quiet pleasures of fishing and gardening, as well as the lively comfort of music. True to her nature, Ida was always the life of the party—bringing warmth, laughter, and light to every room she entered. She truly loved having fun and celebrating every moment with those around her.

In addition to her parents and her siblings, Ida was preceded in death by her beloved son, John Wayne Cross.

Precious memories of Ida’s vibrant life will forever be treasured by her children: Ida Maria Watson (James Edward) of Macon, Georgia and Cozie Ray, Sr. (Maryland) of Cordele, Georgia; her grandchildren, Sharita Cross, Otis Cross, Courtney Cross, Cozie Ray, Jr. (Latoya), Kerry Ray (Olivia), Karisha Ray Dopson (Micah), Johnathan Ray, Lashonda Cross, John Cross, II, and Kim Cross; 28 great grandchildren; her sister, Ola Mae Hall (Dennis) of Albany, Georgia; her aunt, Ruby Rogers of Sylvester, Georgia; her sister-in-law, Lena Cross of Cordele, Georgia; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other extended relatives, her best friend, Rosie McKenzie of Cordele, Georgia and many sorrowing friends, who will miss her dearly.