AUGUSTA - Thomas J. Hickey died Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2004, at the age of 92. Tom grew up in Augusta, one of the eight children of Thomas H. and Marguerite (Buckley) Hickey, and made himself known at Cony High School as a scholar and an athlete, playing quarterback on Cony's football team and playing golf and tennis for pleasure. He graduated from Colby College with a degree in English, commuting from Augusta for some years, and surviving the intense ice hockey competition with his brother, legislator Dan Hickey, who played for Bates College. After college, he worked as political correspondent for newspapers and wire services on Maine politics, and married Jeannette Nelson, like him an outstanding graduate of Cony High, a child of a large family and graduate of a good college (in her case, Wellesley College). During World War II, Tom joined the Army Air Corps. As historian of Jackson (Miss.) Air Base, he chronicled the training of the Royal Dutch Air Force. After the war, he worked for Purington Bros. Fuel Co. and its subsequent owner, Stone & Cooper. He was very involved in raising his children, in community and in church service. He was a Boy Scout leader, a member of the Governor's Highway Safety Committee, a teacher for St. Mary's parish CCD, a participant in the myriad fund-raising activities that built the 'new' St. Mary's School, and later assisted the administrative work of starting St. Andrew's Parish. Upon retirement from the fuel business, he returned to his old beat at the Maine Statehouse as a legislative doorkeeper for several years. But his favorite activity, perhaps after the Lehrer News Hour, was visiting with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by five of his brothers and sisters; by his wife, Jeanette Nelson Hickey; and by his cat, Armageddon, who had kept him company for 14 years. He is fondly remembered by his brother, Daniel Hickey and his wife, Rita, of Augusta; his sister, Rose Johnson of Augusta; his children, John Hickey and his wife, Mimi, of Ithaca, N.Y., Peter Hickey and his wife, Judy, of Chelsea, and Sheila and Anton Tibbe of Rutherford, N.J.; grandchildren, Nelson Hickey and his wife, Carole, of Whitefield, Tom Hickey of Whitefield and Steve Hickey of Chelsea; great-grandchildren, Taylor, Jonathan and Dylan Hickey; and much of the Irish-American community in the Augusta area. Visiting hours will be 3-6 p.m. Sunday, at Knowlton & Hewins Funeral Home, 1 Church St., Augusta. A Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Augusta with the Rev. Michael Gendreau, celebrant. Spring burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, Manchester. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the charities of one's choice.