Howard Lee Pickles

Howard Pickles, 86, Lake Wales Fire Dept.

LAKE WALES -- Mr. Howard Lee Pickles was proud of the Lake Wales community that he served for a number of years as a firefighter.

"He loved his town and he was very proud of being a firefighter," said his daughter, Cheryl Kay of Winter Haven. "He would never leave his town."

The retired Lake Wales city firefighter died of heart failure Sunday (March 12, 2006) at home. He was 86.

The lifelong Floridian was born in Madison on April 10, 1919, and grew up in the Frostproof area.

He moved to Lake Wales from Frostproof in 1941 and began working for the Fire Department when it was housed at City Hall along with the Police Department.

"Back then, they only had two trucks and four or five men in the City Hall," Kay said.

In his earlier years, he enjoyed working on small engines such as lawn mowers. He also was an avid fisherman, frequenting area lakes and he particularly enjoyed Blue Lake.

Mr. Pickles was described as a quiet man who was family oriented and from the "old school."

"I never heard him say a bad word about anybody ever. If he didn't have something nice to say about somebody, he didn't say anything at all," Kay said.

He was a Protestant.

Mr. Pickles was preceded in death by his wife of 35 years, Ivah Jean Pickles, in the mid1990s. In addition to his daughter, Cheryl Kay, he is survived by his daughter, Janan Parrish, Lake Wales; son, Lamar Pickles, Lake Wales; sister, Juanita Helms, Mulberry; seven grandchildren; and nine greatgrandchildren.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 tonight at Marion Nelson Funeral Home in Lake Wales. Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home chapel. Burial will be in Lake Wales Cemetery.