Richard Pickens

Richard "Rich" Dee Pickens, 79, a 30-year resident of Crofton and previously of Amherst, NH, died at this home November 7 of bladder cancer after a 2-year illness. Born December 29, 1933 in Clarksburg, WV, he graduated from Marshall University in Huntington, WV. He was a Sergeant in the U.S. Army from 1952-55. Rich was employed as a private investigator in Washington, DC and a manufacturer's representative in Boston, MA. Richard was a Phi Kappa Alpha Fraternity Booster and enjoyed sailing (sailing the entire Intracoastal Waterway and back via the Atlantic Ocean), reading, the stock market, auto racing, Washington Redskins football and St. Louis Cardinals baseball. He was preceded in death by a son, Richard Pickens, II; and his parents, Fannie M. and Eustace H. Pickens. Richard is survived by his wife, Babette B. Pickens, whom he married September 1, 1961; son, Robert Scott Pickens of Crofton; two brothers, Roger L. Pickens of Annapolis and Neil Pickens of Northeast; and sister, Sharon Herron of Kitty Hawk, NC. Friends are invited to Rich's Life Celebration from 6 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, November 12, at the George P. Kalas Funeral Home, 2973 Solomons Island Road, Edgewater. Interment private. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Attn: Membership Department, 6 Herndon Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21403 or online at www.CBF.org. An online guestbook is available at www.kalasfuneralhomes.com