Robert Keith Hickey, Jr.

Robert Keith Hickey Jr. (Bob, Bobby, Trousersnake or Borney), of Merrill, Mich. unexpectedly passed away at home due to a cardiac event on Friday, November 10, 2023. He was 40 years old.

Born in Midland on September 10, 1983, Bob was the beloved son of Robert Hickey Sr. and Cheryl Hickey. He eloped with his high school sweetheart, Melissa Hickey (Kaufman) on October 30, 2006, in Las Vegas. Together they built a loving family with two beautiful daughters, Madalyn 13, and Olivia 10. He loved that both girls inherited his sense of humor and sarcastic personality. Bob was an amazing father and husband who loved being home with his family…his friends will tell you when they asked him to do something, his response was almost always, “My wife won’t let me!”

Bob was a chemical operator for more than 15 years, most recently at DuPont. Many of his coworkers became family. He always had fun at work and during lunch breaks which often involved shenanigans like the one chip challenge.

When Bob was not at work, he was an avid outdoorsman and loved hunting with his father-in-law, Wayne Kaufman Sr. He also loved fishing and going boating with friends and family. He was also a self-taught, guitarist and collector. He shared the love of guitar with his cousin, Jim Redmond.

Bob had an unnatural obsession for anything that was fast with wheels. He could never find one that was fast enough for him, even though he had many cars, trucks and motorcycles over the years. He would spend hours working on his vehicles to ensure they were spotless and better looking than any others. This obsession took him all over the state, making life-long friends in St. Ignance, Woodward and Frankenmuth.

In addition to his loving wife, children, and parents, those left to cherish his memory include his sister, Amber Richnak along with his in-laws, Wayne and Jann Kaufman, and many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents James and Faye Redmond, and Donald and Mildred Hickey, as well as his cousin and best friend Jim Redmond.

He was the best son, husband, father, brother and friend that anyone could have and he will be missed with our whole hearts the rest of our lives.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend Bob’s celebration of life on Saturday, November 18 at the Lakefield Township Hall, 21050 Lakefield Rd, Merrill, from 12:00-5:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests those seeking to honor Bob’s legacy consider a donation to the Cycstic Fibrosis Foundation in the name of his daughter Olivia Hickey.

Arrangements were entrusted to W.L. Case and Company Funeral Directors, 4480 Mackinaw Rd, Saginaw, MI 48603. Please visit www.casefuneralhome.com to view the online obituary, sign the guest book, and leave condolences to the family.