Donna Lee Pickett

Donna Lee Pickett Donna Lee Pickett memorial eulogy Written by David Andrew Pickett (Donnas brother) Our Mother Hazel Lee Mann (19) and Father John Fredrick Pickett (18) were married June 2, 1946. They gave birth to their daughter Donna Lee Pickett June 19, 1947, there was 10.5 years between my big sister and I. A new life had begun. Shelbyville, Indiana was a small town S. of Indianapolis. This town was the birth place of Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and Parents. Donna was attended at birth by the same doctor who had delivered her parents. When you live in a small town all your life those things tend to be more common. Donna, as was her parents was a proud Hoosier. She loved to swim at the city pool, and rode her bike all over town; with Shelbyville you could do that pretty quickly. Donna was a tom-boy of sorts she liked to play with the boys. One of the boys parents owned and operated a funeral parlor, and yes Donna and friends played among the caskets. They were told never to go into the viewing rooms though. Grandma Pickett Nie Kelley, was born a catholic, But as a young woman left the church for what was then a new kind of church. They called themselves Nazarenes. Hazel was born a Baptist, and Donna got a view of both churches through the years. Donna loved Jesus and so did Hazel. In 1954 Grandpa Pickett had a stroke. Fred was a caregiver for his father for 3 years. He carried him to be bathed, cleaned him and fed him. Donna had a great role model in Fred in the years to come. Grandpa Pickett Died in April 1957. 1958 and change was in the air on February 27, 1958 a son was born to Fred and Hazel a brother to big sister Donna! (10.5 yrs.) They named him David and Donna was very excited to have a baby brother. Fred and his brother Charlie needed a change. They moved to California in September 1958 in a 1952 Green Studebaker and got work at Safeway, leaving Hazel and Donna to care for David and Grandma Mann. In fall of 1959 the family flew TWA and met up with Fred and Charlie in California. Donna had to start at a new school, and make new friends. Fred and Hazel rented a house in Northridge, California and saved up to buy a home of their own in Reseda, California. Donna started at Northridge Jr. High and made many friends. Donna received her drivers license in 1963 and all heck went loose. She would drive her friends everywhere, often taking her little brother along for the ride. What an education Donna was about to receive, she ran up a gas bill for one month totaling over $ 200 (in 1963 money)! Needless to say Fred took away the red ford. (No T-bird guys) Then Fred later had to take away the Brown Dodge as well It was going to take a lot more than that for Donna to understand about money and gas. Donna graduated high school in June 1965. She went to work at a company called Veritron West. It was here we feel she inhaled asbestos which later showed up as peritoneal mesothelioma that took her life years later. Donna continued attending a Baptist church with her mother Hazel. Donna took David one time to a taco bell. They ordered 1 of every item on the menu. Then they proceeded to eat it all. Oh how our stomachs ached but it sure was fun. On Halloween night 1983 Donna accompanied Fred, hazel and David to a small town in S. Oregon called Wolf Creek. Fred and David were in a partnership running Wolf Creek General Store, Gas station, Feed Business and of course what was to become Donnas pride and joy The Deli for the Belly. Donna made many lifetime friends in Wolf Creek, OR. Hazel and Donna attended Wolf Creek alliance community church and became very involved in serving the Lord. Donna was born again and made her home there in Wolf Creek two doors down from the church. In 1985 David met Diane Parsons, Daughter of Verdie Mae Watson (treasurer of the church) Hazel and Verdie hooked us up with Donna stepping in at the last minute to tell David of their plans. David and Diane were married June 7, 1986 in Wolf Creek, Oregon. Donna through church and with Jesus help met a friend, Jack Pugsley and he and Donna became companions. Marriage was not meant to be for these two but they shared each others love for god. Pastor Jim and wife Debbie Roberts became soul mates to Donna. Wolf Creek General store and all the other businesses were sold March 5, 1990. Donna found work with her close friends the Mathes Family, and continued worship and work for God. David, Diane and their daughters Katy born 7/11/1987 and Michelle Born 4/8/1989 were resting after putting long hours in for years and moved to Bellingham, WA in 1991 pursuing retail work. In 1994 Donna after deciding to go back to school to learn a career, graduated Rougue Community College with her Nursing Degree. This began a new journey for Donna. After a door closed on what Donna hoped to be a nursing mission experience. Donna always wanted but was never able to serve god in the field. Hazel died of heart failure on September 3, 1999 Fred and Donna were alone in Oregon. David had a career in Bellingham, and Fred wanted to be closer to his granddaughters. In a period of 3 weeks in 2001 Donna, Fred and Uncle Charlie who had moved to Oregon in 1990 sold their homes and moved to Lynden, WA were they were able to obtain 2 homes in 30 days. God was in control. After moving in they started looking for a church and found Lynden church of the Nazarene later named CrossPoint Church where Fred became Treasurer. Fred, Donna, David and his family began to attend. That is where I will stop. You old timers know the rest of the story as Paul Harvey used to say. I told this account this way because in the end you knew Donna Lee Pickett better than I ever did. She loved you all she loved worshipping with you and your fellowship. John Fredrick Pickett died December 14, 2011 he too loved the church and all of you. Donna was at his side and was his caregiver for the last 5 months of his life. Donna desperately missed her parents and today she is rejoicing with them up in heaven. God provided more to Donna then any one man ever could the church body gave more of themselves in Donnas time of need than any one man could. Donna is gone now; remember her as the sister in Christ Donna Lee Pickett was. Farewell Tribute Information There will be a Ceremony of Remembrance held for Donna at Greenacres Memorial Park o Wednesday, June 12, 2013 at 1:00 pm.

Donna Lee Pickett

June 19, 1947 - June 5, 2013