Ethel Pickens , formerly of Vicksburg , Mississippi , died peacefully and went to be with the Lord August 6 th , 2022 at Baptist Medical Center in Jackson surrounded by family and love being expressed by many. She was completely and wholly filled with the prayers and love from all she knew and loved.

Services will be held August 9 th , 2022 at St. Mark's United Methodist Church in Brandon with visitation at 2:30 pm directly followed by the service at 4:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, a memorial may be given to St. Mark's United Methodist, 400 Grants Ferry Rd, Brandon, MS 39047 or Hawkins United Methodist Church Building Fund, 3736 Halls Ferry Rd, Vicksburg, MS 39180.

Mrs. Pickens was born in Vicksburg, MS in 1935. She graduated from Carr Central High School in 1953 and created friends hips that lasted a lifetime . Mrs. Pickens en rolled at Ole Miss where she went to school and a lso attended University of Southern Mississip pi, where she met her husband-to -be of 62 years, James Pickens of Jackson.

In 1955, Mrs. Pickens lived in Biloxi while her husband served honorably as an instructor at Keesler Air Force Base. They lived in Laurel prior to moving to Vicksburg in 1963 where both Mr. Pickens and Mrs. Pickens worked for the Corps of Engineers. Mrs. Pickens worked in Public Relations where she received numerous Commander's Awards and the Achievement Award for Civilian Service for her excellence. Mr. and Mrs. Pickens called Vicksburg home for many years . She attended Hawkins United Methodist church where she created lifelong friendships.

While in Vicksburg the Pickens` household was a center for entertainment and hosting of many friends and family. Priorities of Mr. and Mrs. Pickens, along with their three children, included their close family ties and their many deep and lifelong friends, whom they thoroughly enjoyed entertaining in their home. They lived life at the fullest and Mrs. Pickens made sure everyone around her had the opportunity to do the same. She actively worked with Carr Central High School Class of `53 and later for all the classes of CCHS in events and reunions. In 2014 the entire alumni of Carr Central High recognized her for her undying enthusiasm and support of the Carr Central High School Spirit. She served as a foundation for classmates to reunite and remain close for well over 60 years. She brought that undying enthusiasm in all things in life.

Mr. and Mrs. Pickens moved to Br andon in 2016 to live with their daughte r on the Ross Barnett Reservoir. Mrs. Pickens established an additional network of many friends in Brandon where she was welcomed lovingly by a new church family at St. Mark's United Meth odist church and meeting fellow bridge players at the senior centers. She was actively playing bridge to the very end with many weeks con sisting of four days of bridge at friend's homes or senior centers. Mrs. Pickens remained with her daughter in Brandon after the passing of her husband in 2018.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles Garvis Lagrone and Mary Elizabeth Stafford Lagrone of Vicksburg, brother, Charles Garvis LaGrone Jr. of Vicksburg, husband, James Leroy Pickens of Brandon and her grandson, James Patrick Pantenburg of Bend, Oregon. Survivors include three children, James (Buzz) Leroy Pickens, Jr. of Vicksburg , Debbie Pickens Pantenburg (Leon) of Brandon , and Patti Pickens Peets of Brandon , and grandchildren, John Pickens of Nashville , Daniel Pantenburg of Bend, Oregon, Ashley Peets LaBarre (Seth) of Brandon , and Mary Pantenburg of Monterey, California, a nd great-granddaughter, Anamarie Rivers LaBarre , and great-grandson Charles Reed LaBarre , and niece Stacy Lagrone Truesdell (Butch) of Vicksburg.  Surviving in-laws include Dorothy Pickens McElroy, Martha Lagrone, Andrew Davis Pickens and nephew s and nieces.