Crystal River, FL - W.L. (Bill) Pickett died March 2, 2019, in Crystal River, Florida. He was born Feb. 26, 1933 in Boston (Mass.) City Hospital and was a 1951 graduate of Revere (Mass.) High School.
He worked at the West Lynn (Mass.) Works of General Electric and attended night school at Northeastern before volunteering for the draft in 1953. In a 20-year Army career he served in numerous overseas assignments to include the Dominican Republic in 1965 during a revolution there, Germany, Thailand, Panama and Vietnam. He traveled extensively in Central and South America.
His decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, five Army Commendation Medals, Army of Occupation (Germany) and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.
He married Judy (Jorgensen) Aug. 4, 1955, in Copenhagen, Denmark. She preceded him in death in December 2013 after 58 years of marriage. He is survived by daughters Carole Frank, recently of Windsor CO and presently Crystal River FL with headquarters at Bradenton FL; Patti Robinson of Dallas TX, and Bobbi Burford of Indianapolis IN and son William J. Pickett of Loxley AL.
The family also includes 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
He was teaching journalism to U.S. military personnel at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Ind., when he retired in 1973 to take a job with the Indianapolis Star, where he worked as copy editor, night assistant sports editor and golf and hockey columnist for 23 years.
During that time he also worked as a correspondent for The Hockey News, covering both the International and Central Hockey Leagues, and represented Golf World magazine for the state of Indiana.
In addition to sports writing he was a referee in the International Association of Approved Basketball officials. His assignments included the Central America championship game in the mid-60s, when Panama defeated host Costa Rica in San Jose.
After retiring from The Indianapolis Star in 1995, he settled in Crystal River, from where he did some freelance golf writing for the Citrus County Chronicle and other travel periodicals.
In 1996 he accepted a job as a public relations consultant with Northrop Grumman Information Technology, which had a government contract to train U.S. military forces personnel. He traveled to numerous combat arms stations in the United States, and to South Korea, Germany and Senegal in Africa.
Mr. Pickett was a member of St. Benedict's Catholic Church, a Life Member of Veterans of Foreign Wars posts in Indianapolis and Crystal River, Disabled American Veterans and was a long-time member of the Plantation Inn and Golf Resort. He also served Crystal River Village Homeowners Association as a director, vice president and president.
The family will receive friends Wednesday March 6th from 10-11am with services at 11:00am @ Strickland Funeral Home, Crystal River, Florida. A Celebration of his life will continue at the Crystal River Village Club House.
In lieu of flowers, family requests contributions be made to Wounded Warrior Project or Gary Sinise Foundation.
Interment with full military honors will take place Friday March 8th 2:00pm @ Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida.
Arrangements are under the direction of Strickland Funeral home and Crematory, Crystal River.
Published in the The Indianapolis Star from Mar. 5 to Mar. 6, 2019
He worked at the West Lynn (Mass.) Works of General Electric and attended night school at Northeastern before volunteering for the draft in 1953. In a 20-year Army career he served in numerous overseas assignments to include the Dominican Republic in 1965 during a revolution there, Germany, Thailand, Panama and Vietnam. He traveled extensively in Central and South America.
His decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, five Army Commendation Medals, Army of Occupation (Germany) and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.
He married Judy (Jorgensen) Aug. 4, 1955, in Copenhagen, Denmark. She preceded him in death in December 2013 after 58 years of marriage. He is survived by daughters Carole Frank, recently of Windsor CO and presently Crystal River FL with headquarters at Bradenton FL; Patti Robinson of Dallas TX, and Bobbi Burford of Indianapolis IN and son William J. Pickett of Loxley AL.
The family also includes 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
He was teaching journalism to U.S. military personnel at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Ind., when he retired in 1973 to take a job with the Indianapolis Star, where he worked as copy editor, night assistant sports editor and golf and hockey columnist for 23 years.
During that time he also worked as a correspondent for The Hockey News, covering both the International and Central Hockey Leagues, and represented Golf World magazine for the state of Indiana.
In addition to sports writing he was a referee in the International Association of Approved Basketball officials. His assignments included the Central America championship game in the mid-60s, when Panama defeated host Costa Rica in San Jose.
After retiring from The Indianapolis Star in 1995, he settled in Crystal River, from where he did some freelance golf writing for the Citrus County Chronicle and other travel periodicals.
In 1996 he accepted a job as a public relations consultant with Northrop Grumman Information Technology, which had a government contract to train U.S. military forces personnel. He traveled to numerous combat arms stations in the United States, and to South Korea, Germany and Senegal in Africa.
Mr. Pickett was a member of St. Benedict's Catholic Church, a Life Member of Veterans of Foreign Wars posts in Indianapolis and Crystal River, Disabled American Veterans and was a long-time member of the Plantation Inn and Golf Resort. He also served Crystal River Village Homeowners Association as a director, vice president and president.
The family will receive friends Wednesday March 6th from 10-11am with services at 11:00am @ Strickland Funeral Home, Crystal River, Florida. A Celebration of his life will continue at the Crystal River Village Club House.
In lieu of flowers, family requests contributions be made to Wounded Warrior Project or Gary Sinise Foundation.
Interment with full military honors will take place Friday March 8th 2:00pm @ Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida.
Arrangements are under the direction of Strickland Funeral home and Crematory, Crystal River.
Published in the The Indianapolis Star from Mar. 5 to Mar. 6, 2019
Crystal River, FL - W.L. (Bill) Pickett died March 2, 2019, in Crystal River, Florida. He was born Feb. 26, 1933 in Boston (Mass.) City Hospital and was a 1951 graduate of Revere (Mass.) High School.
He worked at the West Lynn (Mass.) Works of General Electric and attended night school at Northeastern before volunteering for the draft in 1953. In a 20-year Army career he served in numerous overseas assignments to include the Dominican Republic in 1965 during a revolution there, Germany, Thailand, Panama and Vietnam. He traveled extensively in Central and South America.
His decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, five Army Commendation Medals, Army of Occupation (Germany) and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.
He married Judy (Jorgensen) Aug. 4, 1955, in Copenhagen, Denmark. She preceded him in death in December 2013 after 58 years of marriage. He is survived by daughters Carole Frank, recently of Windsor CO and presently Crystal River FL with headquarters at Bradenton FL; Patti Robinson of Dallas TX, and Bobbi Burford of Indianapolis IN and son William J. Pickett of Loxley AL.
The family also includes 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
He was teaching journalism to U.S. military personnel at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Ind., when he retired in 1973 to take a job with the Indianapolis Star, where he worked as copy editor, night assistant sports editor and golf and hockey columnist for 23 years.
During that time he also worked as a correspondent for The Hockey News, covering both the International and Central Hockey Leagues, and represented Golf World magazine for the state of Indiana.
In addition to sports writing he was a referee in the International Association of Approved Basketball officials. His assignments included the Central America championship game in the mid-60s, when Panama defeated host Costa Rica in San Jose.
After retiring from The Indianapolis Star in 1995, he settled in Crystal River, from where he did some freelance golf writing for the Citrus County Chronicle and other travel periodicals.
In 1996 he accepted a job as a public relations consultant with Northrop Grumman Information Technology, which had a government contract to train U.S. military forces personnel. He traveled to numerous combat arms stations in the United States, and to South Korea, Germany and Senegal in Africa.
Mr. Pickett was a member of St. Benedict's Catholic Church, a Life Member of Veterans of Foreign Wars posts in Indianapolis and Crystal River, Disabled American Veterans and was a long-time member of the Plantation Inn and Golf Resort. He also served Crystal River Village Homeowners Association as a director, vice president and president.
The family will receive friends Wednesday March 6th from 10-11am with services at 11:00am @ Strickland Funeral Home, Crystal River, Florida. A Celebration of his life will continue at the Crystal River Village Club House.
In lieu of flowers, family requests contributions be made to Wounded Warrior Project or Gary Sinise Foundation.
Interment with full military honors will take place Friday March 8th 2:00pm @ Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida.
Arrangements are under the direction of Strickland Funeral home and Crematory, Crystal River.
Published in the The Indianapolis Star from Mar. 5 to Mar. 6, 2019
He worked at the West Lynn (Mass.) Works of General Electric and attended night school at Northeastern before volunteering for the draft in 1953. In a 20-year Army career he served in numerous overseas assignments to include the Dominican Republic in 1965 during a revolution there, Germany, Thailand, Panama and Vietnam. He traveled extensively in Central and South America.
His decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, five Army Commendation Medals, Army of Occupation (Germany) and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.
He married Judy (Jorgensen) Aug. 4, 1955, in Copenhagen, Denmark. She preceded him in death in December 2013 after 58 years of marriage. He is survived by daughters Carole Frank, recently of Windsor CO and presently Crystal River FL with headquarters at Bradenton FL; Patti Robinson of Dallas TX, and Bobbi Burford of Indianapolis IN and son William J. Pickett of Loxley AL.
The family also includes 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
He was teaching journalism to U.S. military personnel at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Ind., when he retired in 1973 to take a job with the Indianapolis Star, where he worked as copy editor, night assistant sports editor and golf and hockey columnist for 23 years.
During that time he also worked as a correspondent for The Hockey News, covering both the International and Central Hockey Leagues, and represented Golf World magazine for the state of Indiana.
In addition to sports writing he was a referee in the International Association of Approved Basketball officials. His assignments included the Central America championship game in the mid-60s, when Panama defeated host Costa Rica in San Jose.
After retiring from The Indianapolis Star in 1995, he settled in Crystal River, from where he did some freelance golf writing for the Citrus County Chronicle and other travel periodicals.
In 1996 he accepted a job as a public relations consultant with Northrop Grumman Information Technology, which had a government contract to train U.S. military forces personnel. He traveled to numerous combat arms stations in the United States, and to South Korea, Germany and Senegal in Africa.
Mr. Pickett was a member of St. Benedict's Catholic Church, a Life Member of Veterans of Foreign Wars posts in Indianapolis and Crystal River, Disabled American Veterans and was a long-time member of the Plantation Inn and Golf Resort. He also served Crystal River Village Homeowners Association as a director, vice president and president.
The family will receive friends Wednesday March 6th from 10-11am with services at 11:00am @ Strickland Funeral Home, Crystal River, Florida. A Celebration of his life will continue at the Crystal River Village Club House.
In lieu of flowers, family requests contributions be made to Wounded Warrior Project or Gary Sinise Foundation.
Interment with full military honors will take place Friday March 8th 2:00pm @ Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida.
Arrangements are under the direction of Strickland Funeral home and Crematory, Crystal River.
Published in the The Indianapolis Star from Mar. 5 to Mar. 6, 2019
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