Stephen Morris Hicks
Stephen Morris Hicks, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle, died peacefully with family at his side on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at the age of 81. A man of great integrity, humility, humor, and insight, he will be deeply missed by his family and by the larger community to which he was joyfully dedicated.
Steve was born in 1943 in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, where he relished the Quaker roots and education-centered ethos of this college town. His father, a soft-spoken leader in that community, modeled those same principles. His actions, as well as his death when Steve was just 16, further instilled in him the sense that meaning and purpose came from being part of something larger than himself.
Steve left Swarthmore to attend Penn State in College Station, Pennsylvania, graduating in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science degree and remained a lifelong fan of the Nittany Lions. Following graduation, he entered the computer and software industries with IBM, first in sales then in new product development and acquisitions. After returning to graduate school (MBA from USC), Steve discovered his interest in finance and the emerging world of entrepreneurism. From that point forward he served as CEO of several small companies, each of which was successfully acquired. With that background, he described himself as benefitting from both a formal and practical education.
In 1994, Steve and his family moved from Washington, DC to Santa Barbara, California. Once there, he discovered the powerful impact of volunteerism and philanthropy. He was devoted to championing education, social services, and those programs serving the resilience, health, and well-being of his community.
Steve served as board chair or trustee of CALM, the Channel Islands YMCA, the Family Service Agency, the Montecito Community Foundation, Noah’s Anchorage, the Santa Barbara Foundation, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, the Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics, and the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara. He was a Lifetime Honorary Trustee of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, was the Santa Barbara Foundation’s Person of the Year in 2007, and was honored by the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara in 2023.
A lover of action, Steve was a scuba diver, sailor, and pilot, as well as a tennis and golf enthusiast. In quieter pursuits, Steve’s reading was wide and varied. His intellectual curiosity drew him into explorations across genres and disciplines. He relished the adventure of travel, especially road trips and journeys by train. He had a large collection of antique maps, serving a term as Vice President of the Southern California branch of the California Map Society.
Above all, Steve was a man who delighted in family and friends, happiest when gathered around the table engaged in conversation or tossing the ball with his dogs. His waffle and pancake breakfasts were legendary, as was his homemade granola which he called “kibble.” Few dinner guests could refuse the offer of his special blood orange martini with home grown fruit.
He was a humble man of great and stoic strength, with an easy smile, a pragmatic optimism, a knack for building consensus, and an accessible empathy that made many seek his wise counsel.
Steve is survived by his wife of 48 years, Patsy; their two children and their respective spouses, Andrew (Caitrin) and Katy (David), and his three grandchildren, Boyer, John, and Elizabeth.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics, the Santa Barbara Foundation, the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, or the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.
A service and reception in celebration of Steve’s life is planned for early January.
