Obituary of Lloyd J. Pickett

Lloyd Junior Pickett March 19, 1923-June 17, 2009 Lloyd hailed from the small town of Benton, Illinois, but grew up in nearby Kincaid. He was raised with his four siblings: Merrill, Hazel, Jean—all deceased; and Jim Kincaid, IL, by his coal mining father, Ceburn, and devoutly religious mother, Charity. He tried, but knew in his very youthful manhood that he needed to find somewhere more fitting to be able to live the life he so desired. He went away as far as he could, traveling West by train. Around 1943, he stepped off the rail car in Tacoma, Washington, and initially lived with his Aunt Molly. Then, settled in Olympia, where he lived for over 20 years. Not too much time passed before he married Helen Slosson deceased. Five children were born of the marriage: Vickie husband, Ernie; Lacey, Washington, Dennis wife, Patty; Tacoma, Washington, Brad Washougal, Washington, Pam Longview, Washington, and youngest son, John deceased. Over the years in Olympia, he worked many jobs; as a meter reader, a deliveryman, in a local hardware store, among many others, but mostly for the Union Pacific Railroad from which he retired. Most of those years he also was a farmer, raising cows, pigs, and chickens, while always working full-time in town. Needless to say, he toiled year after year working sunrise to sunset. Work was always one of his passions and from what he found immense pleasure. When Helen died, he eventually relocated to the Portland area. There, he obtained his final job, retiring as a machinist at Bingham-Willamette. Simultaneously, he found what he had been truly looking for—a peaceful and beautiful setting far up on the Washougal river in Skamania County. He first built a small cabin on his property. Then, a house, which he eventually sold. Then, he built his final home, where he continued to live his life as he undoubtedly defined in his youth: one of strong opinion, whether or not you wanted to hear it; an extreme independence; an ongoing yearning for relationships with women; taking on challenges with the gusto of tornados; a vociferous gift to gab; and, facing the day with unending energy. He had a soft heart that could love like a mother does a child, but he was scarred young in age, and sadly had difficulty letting it bleed outwardly. He could tell stories that humored and fascinated. He could laugh, whistle and work with his hands with the best of them. He was truly one of a kind, and he knew it, and was proud of it and why not, too few of us are that way. Gradually, his body deceived him over the last year or so. As a result, he couldn't build and create and work with his hands that he treasured so. What gave him pleasure and meaning throughout his life faded down the river like a final sunset dropping oh-so-slowly over the grand, old fir trees that stand from the bank and stretch up the steep hillside. From his soul, he deeply and finally reached within, and made the request to go "home." He left like he lived—hard, fast and with a silence that could only be understood by him and those that intimately knew him. Lloyd has left behind a number of grandchildren: Eric, Melissa, Steffanie, Ray, Carie, Isaac, Kelsey, Ian and Darren, and from many of them, many great-grandchildren. Lloyd's influence on all of us is unforgettably and unavoidably ingrained in all of us. If nothing else, one never forgets someone who is so markedly like no one else. His children will miss him, as will so many, many people who knew Lloyd Pickett. A gathering for family and friends will be held on July 18. Contact Dennis Pickett at 253 224-4836 for further details. Straub's Funeral Home & Columbia River Cremation in Camas is in charge of the arrangements.