Hank's Ice Cream owner Hank Wiggins dies at 74

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Hank Wiggins opened Hank's Ice Cream on South Main in 1985 with his wife, Okemah. But it wasn't just a mom and pop store. It was run by mom, pop, their daughter, her husband, cousins and, recently, grandchildren.

Now there's a sign on the front door: "In loving memory of Hank, the store will be closed this week."

Wiggins died Dec. 31 at Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital. He had been there since falling and injuring his spinal cord in May. His heart finally gave out Saturday. He was 74.

Wiggins was born in Caldwell in 1937. He married Okemah in 1962 when he was right out of Prairie View A&M University and working part-time in the post office, plus waiting tables at night, plus a number of other jobs.

He eventually opened a cab business during Houston's oil boom and had 18 taxis on the road.

"Hank used to make ice cream in our home for the family," Okemah Wiggins said. "He always said that one day he wanted to open an ice cream store. When Houston's economy slowed down in the '80s, he figured it was time to close the cab business and start selling ice cream."

Hank's Ice Cream, 9291 S. Main, offers vanilla, chocolate and strawberry, but customers really line up for special homemade flavors, like sweet corn, crème de menthe, banana pudding, pineapple upside-down cake and cantaloupe.

Butter pecan, with lots of Texas pecans, is the No. 1 seller.

"Our customers are everybody - families, college students, people who work in the area. Everybody loved Hank," Okemah said. "He was a good man. He always talked to the customers, and he listened to them. Hank was always smiling, and our customers always left here smiling, too."

Plans are being made for a funeral, either Friday or Saturday, at Brentwood Baptist Church.

Hank's Ice Cream will reopen next week. He taught his family how to make ice cream, so nothing in the freezer case will change. The only difference will be, Hank is gone.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his daughter, Aladrian Mims, son-in-law Brent Mims and grandchildren Isaiah Bejohnette and Brittany Bejohnette.

And a city that loved him, his butter pecan ice cream and that smile.

ken.hoffman@chron.com