James William Pickens died at his home in Roswell, GA on October 10, 2020, at the age of 98 years young. His family always called him William. During WW2 he was called James. Later in life everyone called him Bill. Even in his last days he showed a warm and caring nature and an ever-ready smile. He also never lost his great sense of "Pickens Humor".
He was born on March 13, 1922, in Colton, CA to Earnest Rivers Pickens and Mary Edmonds Pickens. The youngest of four children, he was preceded in death by brothers Harry and Richard and by sister Jewell.
The Pickens family was originally from Texas but moved west to California because both Earnest and Mary were eager to see the famed woman Evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson in Los Angeles. William became a Christian as a young boy but could not remember the exact date.
After graduating from Dinuba (CA) High School he went to England where he served in World War II as a teletypist.
After the war he became attracted to a girl that went to his church. Her name was Phyllis Marie Boshell. He started asking her out for milkshake dates. It turned into true love and they were married on September 8, 1946, in San Bernardino, CA. They were married for 74 years.
During his working career William worked at various jobs. He started out as an upholsterer like his father but later had jobs at Pepsi Cola, Frito Lay, Arrowhead Water, Johnston Pies, and Rain-O-Mat Sprinklers. He eventually found his niche in landscape maintenance at Rio Hondo College and finally retired after a career as a supervisor with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans).
Because of the war he did not have the opportunity to go to college. It was important to him that his children have a college education, so all three of his children graduated with college degrees. Later in life he fulfilled a life's dream by going back to school and getting his Associate of Arts Degree in Landscape Maintenance.
Upon retirement, he decided to move to Georgia so he could "have some land". He enjoyed many years in Marietta, GA working on his "land" and also doing part time upholstery work in his basement.
Being active in church was especially important to him. He played the violin in the church orchestra and sang in the church choir at Norwalk First Assembly of God Church and Whittier First Family Church. He also played in the orchestra at Mount Paran Church of God when he moved to Georgia. He loved "good music".
All of his life he was a wonderful husband and father who loved Jesus with all of his heart. He also loved his whole family including his children and their spouses, his grandchildren, and his great grandchildren. His life can be summed up by the phrase "A life well lived" and by the Bible verse "…the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what He requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8.
He is survived by his wife Phyllis Pickens and three children, Robert Pickens (Melanie), Donna Pickens, and Glenn Pickens (Pam). He is survived by his five grandchildren, Suzanne Pickens Young (Tony), Tamara Pickens, Benjamin Pickens, Glenn Pickens II (Emily-Cathryn), and Elizabeth Pickens Boatright (Matthew). He is adored by his three great-grandchildren, Emily and Nathan Young, and Bailey Boatright.
He was born on March 13, 1922, in Colton, CA to Earnest Rivers Pickens and Mary Edmonds Pickens. The youngest of four children, he was preceded in death by brothers Harry and Richard and by sister Jewell.
The Pickens family was originally from Texas but moved west to California because both Earnest and Mary were eager to see the famed woman Evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson in Los Angeles. William became a Christian as a young boy but could not remember the exact date.
After graduating from Dinuba (CA) High School he went to England where he served in World War II as a teletypist.
After the war he became attracted to a girl that went to his church. Her name was Phyllis Marie Boshell. He started asking her out for milkshake dates. It turned into true love and they were married on September 8, 1946, in San Bernardino, CA. They were married for 74 years.
During his working career William worked at various jobs. He started out as an upholsterer like his father but later had jobs at Pepsi Cola, Frito Lay, Arrowhead Water, Johnston Pies, and Rain-O-Mat Sprinklers. He eventually found his niche in landscape maintenance at Rio Hondo College and finally retired after a career as a supervisor with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans).
Because of the war he did not have the opportunity to go to college. It was important to him that his children have a college education, so all three of his children graduated with college degrees. Later in life he fulfilled a life's dream by going back to school and getting his Associate of Arts Degree in Landscape Maintenance.
Upon retirement, he decided to move to Georgia so he could "have some land". He enjoyed many years in Marietta, GA working on his "land" and also doing part time upholstery work in his basement.
Being active in church was especially important to him. He played the violin in the church orchestra and sang in the church choir at Norwalk First Assembly of God Church and Whittier First Family Church. He also played in the orchestra at Mount Paran Church of God when he moved to Georgia. He loved "good music".
All of his life he was a wonderful husband and father who loved Jesus with all of his heart. He also loved his whole family including his children and their spouses, his grandchildren, and his great grandchildren. His life can be summed up by the phrase "A life well lived" and by the Bible verse "…the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what He requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8.
He is survived by his wife Phyllis Pickens and three children, Robert Pickens (Melanie), Donna Pickens, and Glenn Pickens (Pam). He is survived by his five grandchildren, Suzanne Pickens Young (Tony), Tamara Pickens, Benjamin Pickens, Glenn Pickens II (Emily-Cathryn), and Elizabeth Pickens Boatright (Matthew). He is adored by his three great-grandchildren, Emily and Nathan Young, and Bailey Boatright.
James William Pickens died at his home in Roswell, GA on October 10, 2020, at the age of 98 years young. His family always called him William. During WW2 he was called James. Later in life everyone called him Bill. Even in his last days he showed a warm and caring nature and an ever-ready smile. He also never lost his great sense of "Pickens Humor".
He was born on March 13, 1922, in Colton, CA to Earnest Rivers Pickens and Mary Edmonds Pickens. The youngest of four children, he was preceded in death by brothers Harry and Richard and by sister Jewell.
The Pickens family was originally from Texas but moved west to California because both Earnest and Mary were eager to see the famed woman Evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson in Los Angeles. William became a Christian as a young boy but could not remember the exact date.
After graduating from Dinuba (CA) High School he went to England where he served in World War II as a teletypist.
After the war he became attracted to a girl that went to his church. Her name was Phyllis Marie Boshell. He started asking her out for milkshake dates. It turned into true love and they were married on September 8, 1946, in San Bernardino, CA. They were married for 74 years.
During his working career William worked at various jobs. He started out as an upholsterer like his father but later had jobs at Pepsi Cola, Frito Lay, Arrowhead Water, Johnston Pies, and Rain-O-Mat Sprinklers. He eventually found his niche in landscape maintenance at Rio Hondo College and finally retired after a career as a supervisor with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans).
Because of the war he did not have the opportunity to go to college. It was important to him that his children have a college education, so all three of his children graduated with college degrees. Later in life he fulfilled a life's dream by going back to school and getting his Associate of Arts Degree in Landscape Maintenance.
Upon retirement, he decided to move to Georgia so he could "have some land". He enjoyed many years in Marietta, GA working on his "land" and also doing part time upholstery work in his basement.
Being active in church was especially important to him. He played the violin in the church orchestra and sang in the church choir at Norwalk First Assembly of God Church and Whittier First Family Church. He also played in the orchestra at Mount Paran Church of God when he moved to Georgia. He loved "good music".
All of his life he was a wonderful husband and father who loved Jesus with all of his heart. He also loved his whole family including his children and their spouses, his grandchildren, and his great grandchildren. His life can be summed up by the phrase "A life well lived" and by the Bible verse "…the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what He requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8.
He is survived by his wife Phyllis Pickens and three children, Robert Pickens (Melanie), Donna Pickens, and Glenn Pickens (Pam). He is survived by his five grandchildren, Suzanne Pickens Young (Tony), Tamara Pickens, Benjamin Pickens, Glenn Pickens II (Emily-Cathryn), and Elizabeth Pickens Boatright (Matthew). He is adored by his three great-grandchildren, Emily and Nathan Young, and Bailey Boatright.
He was born on March 13, 1922, in Colton, CA to Earnest Rivers Pickens and Mary Edmonds Pickens. The youngest of four children, he was preceded in death by brothers Harry and Richard and by sister Jewell.
The Pickens family was originally from Texas but moved west to California because both Earnest and Mary were eager to see the famed woman Evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson in Los Angeles. William became a Christian as a young boy but could not remember the exact date.
After graduating from Dinuba (CA) High School he went to England where he served in World War II as a teletypist.
After the war he became attracted to a girl that went to his church. Her name was Phyllis Marie Boshell. He started asking her out for milkshake dates. It turned into true love and they were married on September 8, 1946, in San Bernardino, CA. They were married for 74 years.
During his working career William worked at various jobs. He started out as an upholsterer like his father but later had jobs at Pepsi Cola, Frito Lay, Arrowhead Water, Johnston Pies, and Rain-O-Mat Sprinklers. He eventually found his niche in landscape maintenance at Rio Hondo College and finally retired after a career as a supervisor with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans).
Because of the war he did not have the opportunity to go to college. It was important to him that his children have a college education, so all three of his children graduated with college degrees. Later in life he fulfilled a life's dream by going back to school and getting his Associate of Arts Degree in Landscape Maintenance.
Upon retirement, he decided to move to Georgia so he could "have some land". He enjoyed many years in Marietta, GA working on his "land" and also doing part time upholstery work in his basement.
Being active in church was especially important to him. He played the violin in the church orchestra and sang in the church choir at Norwalk First Assembly of God Church and Whittier First Family Church. He also played in the orchestra at Mount Paran Church of God when he moved to Georgia. He loved "good music".
All of his life he was a wonderful husband and father who loved Jesus with all of his heart. He also loved his whole family including his children and their spouses, his grandchildren, and his great grandchildren. His life can be summed up by the phrase "A life well lived" and by the Bible verse "…the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what He requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8.
He is survived by his wife Phyllis Pickens and three children, Robert Pickens (Melanie), Donna Pickens, and Glenn Pickens (Pam). He is survived by his five grandchildren, Suzanne Pickens Young (Tony), Tamara Pickens, Benjamin Pickens, Glenn Pickens II (Emily-Cathryn), and Elizabeth Pickens Boatright (Matthew). He is adored by his three great-grandchildren, Emily and Nathan Young, and Bailey Boatright.
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