With sadness, we share that Larry Hickman passed away on July 17, 2025, at the age of 88.
According to his obituary, when Larry was four, the family moved to Lisbon, Pennsylvania, where his father, Harry, founded a small sawmill—what would become Hickman Lumber. It was there where his love for the woods began.
He graduated from Emlenton High School in 1955, then attended and graduated from the National Hardwood Lumber Association’s Hardwood Inspection School in Memphis, Tennessee. After returning home, he worked as a lumber inspector for several companies and ultimately began working with his father full-time at Hickman Lumber. Larry’s vision and dedication helped grow the sawmill and expand its land holdings. He was especially proud of the company’s commitment to sustainable forestry—Hickman Lumber was the first in Pennsylvania to become FSC certified, and auditors to this day continue to praise the regeneration and health of the Hickman-managed forests.
Larry remained engaged with Hickman Lumber long after retirement. His son, Denny, later joined him in the business and went on to help establish Allegheny Mountain Hardwood Flooring, which has made flooring for countless museums, homes, and prestigious government buildings across the country. The family has been featured on National TV shows like This Old House and had an article about the family business in the Wall Street Journal. Larry was proud that his grandchildren Jake and Jessica (Fresch) joined and are active in the business, making it to four generations.
Larry was a founding member of the Hardwood Lumberman Manufacturing Association, now Pennsylvania Forest Products Association (PFPA) and an outspoken advocate for the lumber industry and responsible timber management. His legacy lives on through the forests he cared for, the business he helped build, and the family he loved so deeply.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 66 years, Gayle; his two children, Denny Hickman and Amy Hickman; nine grandchildren; and thirteen great-grandchildren.
Services were held at the Emlenton United Methodist Church on July 21, 2025. The family would love to have donations made in Larry’s honor to the Boys and Girls Club Along the Allegheny, PO Box 2, Emlenton; The Emlenton United Methodist Church, PO Box 721, Emlenton; or the Emlenton Fire Department, PO Box 371, Emlenton, PA 16373. View his obituary and send condolences to the family here.
The Hickman family was interviewed by Hardwood Floors magazine in 2017. Read about Larry’s commitment to the family business in this article.