John Francis Sissons

Betty and Marina John Francis Sissons

Donny Hicks had been planning a trip to the northwest for years. He had a new bright blue four door pickup truck, he had a slightly used fifth wheel RV trailer, and he had three weeks off from his job. His family was not especially happy about the trip, but no one could get the time off to chaperone the old man. But, he was looking forward to being alone. His wife of fifty plus years had died the year before and he needed time to think and readjust to his new reality. The trip was planned to begin on the anniversary of the day he joined the Army in 1970, when he began his first new life, because it seemed appropriate. So, on the nineteenth of April, 2023, a new three quarter ton pickup truck and an Army green used fifth wheel RV trailer with Army stickers all over it departed his vacation cabin near a small Texas town to travel north toward Oklahoma to tour the northwest United States and to return to his townhome on the tenth of May. Both dates were in the middle of the work week, which seemed odd by everyone because he did not take advantage of weekend days. But, the date was important so he kept to his agenda. Donny's plans were to be upended in Idaho by two beautiful sisters.