CHELSEA ~ Peter Nelson Hickey, 70, passed away peacefully at his home on Thursday, March 3, 2016 after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He was born on December 31, 1945 in Augusta, the son of Thomas J. and Jeanette (Nelson) Hickey. Peter was a hard-working man who lived a full life as husband, father, grandfather and business owner. Peter attended Augusta schools, graduating from Cony High School in 1964. As a youngster, he was active in scouting, worked as a paperboy delivering the Kennebec Journal and made many life-long friends who shared his passion for cars. In his teen years he spent many hours with those friends “souping up” their cars and trucks, which was usually followed by a few burnouts and other shenanigans that go hand and hand with teenage boys and their machines. Peter served in the Maine National Guard as a mechanic in the motor pool at Camp Keyes in Augusta for six years. His passion became his profession, as he learned the business side of the automotive trade at Southern Maine Vocational-Technical Institute and honed his skills as a mechanic when his employer, Blouin Motors, sent him for training in automatic transmission repair which then became the basis for PH Automotive in Chelsea, which he owned and operated until the week before his passing. Peter had a powerful love for his wife Judy and the sons they raised. The greatest gift he received were his three grandchildren that could do no wrong in his eyes. Somehow, while running his own business, he found time to build a home for himself and Judy with help from his sons and long-time friends and neighbors, Ray Arbour and Will True, whom Judy and Peter considered one of their own. No matter how busy he was, he always made time to play with his grandchildren and allowed them to “help” on the new construction; even if it meant nothing more than them climbing all over the equipment and piles of dirt followed by a game of wiffle ball. Peter could be found at either the Owl’s Head Transportation or Cole Land Transportation museums on any given weekend. He enjoyed country music, including several local bands that played at the dance halls where he and Judy spent so many Saturday nights. He also had a love of Maine’s coastline, spending any time he could on the beaches at Reid, Pemaquid and Popham State Parks. Peter was predeceased by his parents Thomas J. and Jeanette Hickey. He is survived and will be greatly missed by his wife of 46 years Judy (Fogg) Hickey of Chelsea; son, Nelson Hickey and his wife Carole of Whitefield; son, Tom Hickey and his girlfriend Tammy McLaughlin of Chelsea; son, Steve Hickey also of Chelsea; brother, John Hickey and his wife Mimi Moynes of Ithaca, NY; sister, Sheila Hickey and her husband Anton Tibbe of Rutherford, NJ; the grandchildren that he truly adored Taylor, Dylan and Jonathan; his beloved black cat Bandit and many loving friends and extended family members. The family wishes to thank Dr. Robin Locke and the incredible nursing staff at MaineGeneral Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care; Dr. Nathan Murray-James at Hallowell Family Practice; Dr. Derrick Tooth at MaineGeneral Urology; Dr. Jacob Sands at Lahey Medical Center in Burlington, MA and the nurses and therapists from MaineGeneral HomeCare and Hospice for the support and care they provided to Peter and his family during his lengthy illness. Visiting hours will be held at Knowlton & Hewins Funeral Home, One Church Street, Augusta on Wednesday, March 9, 2016 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. followed by a memorial service at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to their charity of choice in Peter’s honor. Memories, condolences, photos, and videos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of our website at www.khrfuneralhomes.com