▁head ▁basketball ▁coach ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Id aho ' s ▁Southern ▁Branch ▁( today ' s ▁Id aho ▁State ▁University ), ▁then ▁a ▁two - year ▁school . ▁With ▁the ▁departure ▁of ▁Felix ▁Pl ast ina , ▁W icks ▁became ▁its ▁athlet ic ▁director ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 5 ▁and ▁also ▁head ▁football ▁coach , ▁posting ▁a ▁ ▁record ▁in ▁six ▁seasons ▁with ▁the ▁Beng als . ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁de cade , ▁W icks ▁returned ▁to ▁Moscow ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁to ▁coach ▁basketball ▁and ▁baseball ▁for ▁the ▁V and als . ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁an ▁officer ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Navy , ▁then ▁returned ▁to ▁coach ▁at ▁Id aho ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 . ▁W icks ▁later ▁worked ▁in ▁the ▁athlet ic ▁department ▁and ▁then ▁in ▁university ▁administration , ▁as ▁the ▁associate ▁de an ▁of ▁students . ▁ ▁Death ▁Following ▁his ▁ret irement ▁from ▁the ▁university ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁W icks ▁worked ▁for ▁the ▁S igma ▁Nu ▁frat ern ity . ▁While ▁in ▁Atlanta ▁to ▁visit ▁the ▁chapter ▁at ▁Em ory ▁University , ▁he ▁fell ▁ill ▁and ▁died ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁at ▁the ▁university ▁hospital ; ▁he ▁had ▁batt led ▁chron ic ▁l ym ph atic ▁le uk emia ▁since ▁ 1 9 6 0 . ▁ ▁Personal ▁W icks ▁married ▁L ela ▁Grace ▁J ain ▁( 1 9 0 6 – 1 9 9 7 ) ▁of ▁Gen ese