James W. Pickett, Jr

James Whitcomb Pickett Jr., born March 6th 1944 to James W. Pickett Sr. and Margaret R. Krumme Pickett, passed away Tuesday morning, the nineteenth of April in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is survived by his wife Barbara Tullis Pickett, and their three children; Tammy Marlow with her husband Tommy, James W. Pickett III and Glen Pickett. Also surviving Mr. Pickett are four grandchildren; Jessica Brierton, Melody Spafford with husband James, Shelby Marlow and Lillyin Pickett. He was the fourth child in a family of six and is mourned by his siblings and their families; Jean Ann Nicklas, Dorothy Sanderlin, Donna Smith, John Pickett and Daniel Pickett. On his wife's side of the family he is survived by mother-in-law Dorothy Tullis and her children, Glenna, Sue and Roy Lee Tullis. A special thanks to the joy that was brought into his life by his special friends Don Lemons and Jim Yaman. His pallbearers are Daniel W. Pickett, Daniel Pickett, Stephen Nicklas, Bryan Sanderlin, Matthew Sanderlin, Paul Krumme, Robert Krumme and honorary pallbearers are John Pickett, Clayton Sanderlin, Lee Nicklas, George Krumme, Don Lemons, Jim Yaman, Kevin Wilkinson and Terry Shutts. James was born in Bristow, Oklahoma to a farm and ranch family. As such, he learned to work hard at an early age. While working on a wheat harvesting crew in Plainview, TX, he met Barbara through a blind date. They married twenty months later on June 15, 1962. James and Barbara later graduated from Wayland Baptist University in Plainview. In June they would have celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary. James served one tour in Vietnam and was promoted to Staff Sargeant. His bravery was recognized with three medals, Purple Hearts for being injured in the line of duty. Although success followed him throughout many ventures, he particularly flourished in his work in pharmaceutical sales in the greater Houston area and was recognized by employer Boehringer Ingelheim for excellence as Regional Sales Manager. In 1980 James & Barbara's entrepreneurial spirits blossomed as they moved their young family from Texas to Muskogee and established the first of several family businesses that are still family operated today. James was a praying Christian who humbly shared his personal testimony of the love of his Lord Jesus Christ. He was a member of First Baptist Church, Muskogee, OK. James was an avid reader, huge history buff, and a wizard in the kitchen. He also enjoyed playing cards and collecting coins. He was a person you wanted on your team, in life and Trivial Pursuit. His biggest passion was traveling - whether it was worldwide cruises or all-American road trips. He accomplished three of his big travel dreams with Barbara, driving the Alcan highway ending with an Alaskan Cruise, visiting Hong Kong before it was turned over to China and seeing an active volcano in Hawaii. A loving Father, Husband, Grandfather, Brother, Uncle and dear friend, James will be greatly missed. His life was a blessing that will endure in many hearts. In Lieu of flowers, the family requests that remembrances be made in James’s name to the church that nurtured him for many years, First Baptist Church of Muskogee, Oklahoma. Funeral services honoring James’s life will be 10:30 a.m., Friday, April 22, 2016 at the First Baptist Church Chapel with Pastor Johnny Derouen officiating. Interment will follow at Fort Gibson National Cemetery with Full Military Honors being presented.

James W. Pickett, Jr

March 6, 1944 - April 19, 2016