Charles Nelson Hickok

Charles Nelson Hickok died on March 16, 2025. He was 76.

Born in Harrisburg, PA on August 3, 1948 to William Orville Hickok IV and Elisabeth Haldeman Daub Hickok, Charles enjoyed early years in Harrisburg and later moved to Philadelphia, graduating from the Episcopal Academy in 1966. He went on to Yale University and graduated in the class of 1970 with a Bachelor of Arts in history. He later earned a Master of Fine Arts from the Pratt Institute in 1974.

As a professor of art history, he taught at Cedar Crest College and York College. He became a part of the area arts scene, with shows at several galleries including the Art Association of Harrisburg. In the summers he enjoyed teaching at the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts. He also upheld family tradition, working for many years at the W.O. Hickok Manufacturing Company, established in 1844 by William Orville Hickok.

He met his wife, Maaike Heitkönig Hickok, in his bright college years. They married on July 27, 1974 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Charlie and Maaike were an extraordinary couple, and Charlie on many occasions remarked that Maaike had given him a wonderful life. In 1981, daughter Lauren Hickok was born, transforming their lives and bringing new energy to the family. Windy Hill, where Charlie had spent his early years, once again became the family home. He took pride in the trees, especially the tulips and the jack pines. He often went up the mountain and enjoyed taking the rowboat out on the lake in the afternoons. Over the years, he enjoyed many family holidays, and he always looked forward to sailing the Chesapeake Bay with his mother Elisabeth Hickok, brother Peter Hickok, and their broader family.

As a strategic thinker of tremendous acumen, Charlie developed a lifelong passion for wargames. As a young boy, he received the game L’Attaque—and the rest was history. Over the years, he created an impressive game collection that wowed friends and family and made possible countless great afternoons in the game room. He competed at national and international wargaming conventions and often won. He especially enjoyed multiplayer games and had memorable wins at national security decision making games, earning accolades. He enjoyed introducing new players to wargaming and participated in several local game clubs over the years.

Charlie loved to read. He read anything and everything. His friends from college knew him as an expert on French history, the Thirty Years War, and modern European history. Having read the encyclopedia at a young age, he continued to pick up pieces of information across every domain of knowledge. He was known to talk at length on the Byzantine empire, art history, and modern strategy. His sense of humor was unmatched, and he dazzled family and friends with trenchant observations and stories from world history.

He is survived by his beloved wife of fifty years, Maaike Heitkönig Hickok, and by his daughter Lauren Hickok. He is also survived by his brother Peter Hickok (husband of Leslie Hickok), nieces Kathryne Hickok (wife of Nabil Bani) and Caroline Hickok Barstow (wife of Steven Barstow II), grandnephew Nelson Barstow, and grandniece Eloise Barstow. He is also survived by niece Ashley Hickok Smith (wife of Mark Smith), nephew William Orville Hickok VI, and nephew Judd Hickok—as well as grandnephew Mark Smith, grandniece Corinne Smith, grandnephew William Orville Hickok VII, and grandnephew John Hickok.

He is predeceased by his father William Orville Hickok IV and his mother Elisabeth Haldeman Daub Hickok. He is also predeceased by his half-brother William Orville Hickok V and half-sister Ann Anderson Hickok.

A memorial service will be held later this spring. Please contact the Hickok family at In.Memoriam.CNH@gmail.com for details.