JD was born at USNTC Great Lakes Naval Hospital in Illinois on October 18, 1956. JD graduated from Sturgeon Bay High School in 1974.
JD experienced an adventurous childhood as a Navy brat and lived in Great Lakes, IL; New London, CT; West Milton, Schenectady, NY; Pascagoula, MS; San Diego, CA; Holy Loch, Scotland; Salina, KS; and Sturgeon Bay, WI.
He was married to Denise Platt on June 20, 1987, at St. Boniface Catholic Church, Scipio, KS. They met at the Wolf Creek Nuclear Plant and moved for work during their relationship to include the following locations: Pennsville, NJ; Port Clinton, OH; Aiken, SC; Overland Park, KS; Morgantown, WV; and Irving, TX.
JD joined the U.S. Navy in 1974 and completed qualification on submarines. He was assigned to many submarines including, but not limited to the USS Grayback and USS Pintado. JD had a career in the nuclear industry that included working at the following nuclear plants/sites: Palo Verde, Davis-Besse, Wolf Creek, Hope Creek, and Savannah River Site.
He was a member of the Kansas City Barbeque Society, Knights of Columbus, American Legion, Veterans' of Foreign Wars, USSVI. For VFW Post 5877, Aiken, SC, he served in several leadership positions to include trustee, Quartermaster, and Commander. He served as the Chairman of the Aiken County Veterans Park for many years and was proud on dedication day. He served in several leadership positions at VFW Post 846, Overland Park, KS.
He had a passion for music, cars, collecting, cooking, dogs, movies, bourbon, Green Bay Packers, Boston Red Sox, Dallas Stars, family/people, entertaining, God and country.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John Douglas “Ducky” and Catherine “Kay” Bernadette (Smith) Pickett, his sisters, Catherine “Cathy” (Pickett) Burns, and Margaret (Pickett) Schoch, and infant twin brothers, John and William Pickett.
He is survived by his wife, Denise (Platt) Pickett, Dorothy (Pickett) and Ron Walker, Mary (Pickett) and Dan Fulwiler, Kelly “Sam” (Pickett) and Steve Suhrer, and E. Marie (Pickett) and Sergio Arellano.
The family will receive friends on Monday, July 15, 2024, from 6-8:30 PM at Rolling Oaks Funeral Home, 400 Freeport Pkwy, Coppell, TX with a rosary and visitation.
The Mass for Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Ann Catholic Parish, 180 Samuel Blvd, Coppell, TX, on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, at 2 PM with Fr. Kevin Wilwert. A reception will follow immediately after mass at the church. Interment will take place at a later date (details not known at publication time).
To leave an online condolence to the family, please visit the website at www.rollingoaksfuneralhome.com.
