Dr. Donald D. Pickett

Dr. Donald D. Pickett of Winter Haven passed away Monday, April 13, 2009 at the Lakeland Regional Medical Center.

He was born on January 27, 1931 in Decatur, IL to the late Howard Cecil & Gladys Pearl (Williams) Pickett; his pastorates include Reedville, VA Church of God from 1952 until 1966 and the Haines Creek Church of God in Leesburg from 1966 until 1972 when he moved to the area. He was currently the Minister of Visitation and Senior Adults at the South Lake Wales Church of God. He was a member of the Rotary Breakfast Club and a former member of Kiwanis in Leesburg. He helped start the Volunteer Fire & Ambulance Service in Reedville, VA and served as chaplain for the East Coast Virginia Fire Departments. He was a trustee of Warner University and a former administrator. He was the Director of the Florida Youth Fellowship of the Church of God, the Florida State Minister for the Church of God, a consultant for the Alabama State Ministry of the Church of God and was involved in youth ministries for over 40 years. He also started the first Church of God mission church in Chelyabinsk, Russia.

Donald was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Keith & Douglas Pickett. Survivors include his wife, Earlene Pickett; daughters, DeLynn Imel (Husband-Eric) of Winter Haven and Kareen Pickett of Lake Wales; sons, Donald Keith Pickett of Winter Haven and Howard Pickett (Wife-Mary Ann) of Newport Beach, CA; sister, Esther Dumke of Lake Wales; and two grandchildren, Alexandra and Tommy.

Visitation will be held from 6:00 until 8:00 PM, Thursday, April 16, 2009 at the Marion Nelson Funeral Home in Lake Wales. Funeral service will be held 10:00 AM, Friday, April 17, 2009 at the South Lake Wales Church of God. Interment will follow at the Lake Wales Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Don Pickett Scholarship Fund, Warner University, 13895 Highway 27, Lake Wales, Florida 33859.

To visit his tribute website, please click the link below:
http://www.lifetributes.com/DrDonaldDPickett

To view the webcast of his service, please click the link below:
http://webcasts.lifetributes.com/64486