Mary Helen Pickett

Mary Helen Pickett, the daughter of William Harve and Ota Azella (Viles) Medlin, was born Jan. 3, 1917, in Putnam County, Mo. On Jan. 22, 1938, Mary was united in marriage with Overton Joy Pickett in Putnam County. Mary and Overton worked the farm until 1960. She then worked for Newton Manufacturing, owned and operated the Dairy Sweet in Lake City, and retired from the City of Des Moines in 1976. She was a member of the Adventure Life Reformed Church in Altoona.

Mary died on Nov. 30, 2014, at Newton Healthcare in Newton. She was 97 years old. Mary was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Overton; her brothers and sister-in-law, George (Nellie) Medlin, Glen Medlin and a brother in infancy; her sisters and brothers-in-law, Nina (Ross) Guffey, Ruby (Warner) Van Dyne and Nellie (Travis) Smith.

Those left to honor Mary’s memory include her daughter, H. Ilene (Dean) Grimes of Grand Mound; her sons, Carl (Carol) Pickett of Ankeny, Larry (Cheryl) Pickett of Morrison, Colo., and Roger (Barbara) Pickett of West Des Moines; her eight grandchildren; her three step-grandchildren; her 11 great-grandchildren; her eight step-great-grandchildren; her great-great-grandson; and her sister-in-law, Dorothy Pickett of Newton.

A time of celebrating Mary’s life will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6 at the Pence-Reese Funeral Home in Newton. The family will greet friends from 1 p.m. until service time at the funeral home.