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Hickey, who worked at the cemetery for 34 years, will be replaced by Pete Passaro, according to a report in the New Canaan Advertiser.
Hickey, when reached at the cemetery office Monday, said the length of his tenure surprised even him. In the early 1980s, after he was approached numerous times by a member of the cemetery's board, he agreed to sign on for a short period.
"I said 'I'll take it, for a year or two ... to help out,'" Hickey recalled, chuckling.
Hickey said he was familiar with Lakeview, having visited his grandparents' graves there. As the years passed, he said, other close family members have been buried there as well.
Before taking over at Lakeview, Hickey spend nearly 10 years as assistant superintendent of Wee Burn Country Club in Darien, the Advertiser said.
Involved in organized sports since high school, Hickey retired two years ago as an ice hockey coach at New Canaan High School. He continues to coach high school football, Hickey said.
The life of a cemetery superintendent revolves around practical aspects of caring for 40 acres of grounds and ensuring that the graves are properly dug and maintained, he said, but it was the people element that kept him going.
"I appreciate all the help I got here from the staff and the board of directors," Hickey said. "Without them it would have been Mission Impossible."
For the full Advertiser report, click here.
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