Esther M. Bickings

BICKINGS, ESTHER M., (nee Peterson), 88 - of Hopewell Township, died late Friday evening October 26, 2007 at her home following an extended illness. She was born March 4, 1919 in Bridgeton and was the second of five children of the late Christian and Carrie Esther (nee Bach) Peterson. Raised in Bridgeton, she was a lifelong member of the Berean Baptist Temple in Bridgeton, where she served on the Deacon Board and was a Sunday school teacher. She was a 1936 graduate of Bridgeton High School and was the class vice-president. After high school she matriculated at Glassboro State Teachers College and received her teaching degree in 1940. On June 14, 1941 she married Harold E. Bickings and they were married for fifty-seven years at the time of his death in 1998. Mrs. Bickings was a resident of Hopewell Township for over fifty years. Mrs. Bickings taught in the Bridgeton School System and later served as a substitute teacher for many years. She also assisted her husband with the operation of the family oyster business, the Peterson Packing Company, in Port Norris. In addition to her lifetime membership at the Berean Baptist Temple, she served as a pianist and her youth was the pianist for the Bridgeton All-Girls Symphony which was under the direction of the late Dr. Mary Bacon. She was also active as a Cub Scout Den Mother and in a number of other activities especially those that supported her family. After the death of her daughter, Stella Erickson, in 1981, she and her husband proudly raised Stella's two children, Laura and Matt. She is survived by three sons, Harold E. Bickings Jr. and his wife MaryAnn of Hopewell Twp., Duane K. Bickings and his wife Nancy of Birmingham, AL and John C. Bickings and his wife Jayme of Hopewell Twp., nine grandchildren, Laura Harris, Matthew Erickson, Harold E. Bickings III, Leah Taylor, Kambry Ruby, Ashlyn Bickings, Christian Bickings, Steven Bickings and Conrad Bickings and six great grandchildren. She was predeceased by a daughter, Stella Erickson, two sisters, Maria Kephardt and Betty Johnson and two brothers, John Peterson and Christian Peterson. Funeral services will be held Wednesday morning October 31st at 11 o'clock at the Berean Baptist Temple, Vine and Fayette Streets in Bridgeton with the church's pastor, Rev. Donald K. Harrington officiating. The interment will be made at Fernwood Memorial Park in Hopewell Township. Friends will be received at the Freitag Funeral Home, 137 W. Commerce St., Bridgeton, on Tuesday evening from 6 until 8 and also at the church Wednesday morning from 10 until 11. Memorial contributions in Mrs. Bickings' memory are suggested to SJ Health Care - HospiceCare, PO Box 160, Bridgeton, NJ 08302 or to the Berean Baptist Temple, 68 Vine Street, Bridgeton, NJ 08302. Written condolences and tributes may be expressed to the Bickings family using the funeral home Web site, freitagfuneralhome.com.