Joel L. Pickett

1943 - 2018

JOEL L. PICKETT LEWISBURG - Joel L. Pickett, 75, who resided in the Lewisburg, KY, Lake Malone area, died Saturday November 24, 2018, at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, TN at 8:20AM CST. Joel was born on April 23, 1943 at James Walker Memorial Hospital in Wilmington, NC. He was the first child of Joseph L. Pickett and Libby F. Pickett whom both have preceded him in death. He was the older brother of Marsha P. Whittaker. Growing up his family lived in Wilmington, Chinquapin and Topsail North Carolina areas. By the time he was in high school at Topsail high, Joel was developing his friendly, opinionated personality. After he graduated in the spring of '61 he spent the first year and a half studying at Wilmington College, now UNCW and then enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he served a 3-year term. While stationed in Fort Knox, KY he first laid his eyes on his lifelong companion, the lovely Sharron Kay Ferguson. Later that year he would participate in one of his military highlights. He and his unit walked ahead of the Martin Luther King, Jr. march from Selma to Montgomery in March of 1965. After a two-and-a-half-year courtship, Joel and Sharron would marry later that year on September 10, 1965. Following his discharge from the U.S. Army they would move to Wilmington to begin their lives and start their family. Joel was able to secure a position with General Electric Nuclear in 1968 where he would work as an engineering technician until his retirement in 2006. Sharron would utilize her nursing certification until she retired in 2001. On November 18, 1968 they would welcome their first child, Virginia Lucretia Pickett, "Ginny". A little over 3 years later they would welcome their second child Joel "Stewart" Pickett, on November 24, 1971. In January of 1974 they moved to the home they had built and would call home for the next 32 years on Dunn Place Dr. in the Ogden, Middle Sound area still just outside of Wilmington. Things moved along as life should; then in the spring of 1975 Ginny passed from a rare illness just before Joel's 32nd birthday. Things were tough for a minute, but Joel and his family forged through and in the summer of 1981, they adopted a 6yr old foster child, Katherine Michelle Penix. During this time Joel was working hard after work most nights learning the teachings of the Masons. Then he became the Master of St. John's #1 in 1982. Once his year tenure was completed, when he wasn't working or making his yard and garden beautiful, Joel put all his free time into supporting Stewart and Kathy in extra-curricular actives even helping to coach Little League and Babe Ruth baseball leagues. He and Sharron were big cheerleaders as the kids made their way through school and started to enter adulthood. After long careers filled with much accomplishments, Joel and Sharron would then retire and move to their current residence on Lake Malone in the beginning of 2006. Joel would then throw himself into remodeling and improving the property over the years while they reconnected with Sharron's family, as she is from Central City, and meeting new friends in the area. Throughout Joel's life he loved helping people from coaching, to fixing things. He would go out of his way to help others with their pursuits and needs. He was a model son, husband, son-in-law, father, granddaddy, brother, cousin, uncle, coworker, coach, mentor, veteran, citizen and friend. He never met a stranger, told it like he saw it, had a work ethic second to none, truly loved his wife, family and pets and always wanted the best for everyone. Joel left us far too soon due to injuries sustained from a tragic accident which occurred shortly after his beloved dog Gracey drowned at the age of 17yrs old. With that said, we would like to invite you to a celebration of Joel's life at Tucker Funeral Home in Central City, KY on Wednesday December 12, 2018, at 12:00 noon, with Rev. Michel Deaton officiating. Visitation will be Wednesday beginning at 10:00AM at the funeral home. Online condolences may be made at www.tuckerfuneralhomes.com.