MARY ELLEN PICKENS

Mrs. Mary Ellen Pickens, 82, of the St. Vincent's Home, formerly of Plainville, Illinois, died at 10:00 a.m. Thursday (October 4, 2007) in St. Vincent's Home.

She was born in Kinderhook, IL., on October 28, 1924 a daughter of William and Famie Sackett Hopper. She married Harold Lloyd Pickens on March 30, 1944 in New London, MO. He died July 21, 1990.

Mrs. Pickens was a member of the former Kinderhook Baptist Church where she was a Sunday School teacher, a member of the Mission Circle and a member of the Berean Class. In recent years, she had attended Akers Chapel Church of Christ near Plainville. She was a graduate of Kinderhook High School.

Lloyd and Mary Ellen farmed all their married life on the family farm east of Plainville.

Survivors include a son, Billy Lee Pickens of Quincy; a daughter, Judith Ann Chapman of Plainville; two grandsons and a granddaughter in law, Brent Daniel and Colleen Denise Chapman and Darren Lee Chapman, all of Plainville; three brothers, William J. Hopper and his wife Jeane of Arlington, TX., Melvin Hopper of Quincy, and Max Hopper and his wife Joann of Westchester, PA; two sisters, Erma Rueb of Kinderhook and Ilah Risse and her husband Robert of Hull; a brother in law, Dr. William Bennett of Franklin, NH; and many loving nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and also a dear family friend Emma Heine of Liberty.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Lloyd; a beloved daughter, Donetta Kay Pickens; three sisters, Maxine in infancy, Marjorie Dinning, and Dava Lee Bennett; two brothers in law, James Rueb and Dean Dinning; and a nephew, Ronald Dinning.

Funeral services will be held Sunday afternoon at 2:00 in the United Baptist Church in Kinderhook by Pastor James Poll. Burial will be in the Kinderhook Cemetery in Kinderhook, Illinois.

Visitation will be Sunday from 12:30 until the time of services at the church.

Music will be provided by Elizabeth Gray Mannhardt.

Casket Bearers will be William Hopper, Melvin Hopper, Max Hopper, Brent Chapman, Darren Chapman, Kirk Rueb, Clifton Rueb and Dana Pickens. Honorary casket bearers will be Leon Kenady, Merritt Sprague, Tom Lippincott, Carl Vaughn, Marvin Larimore, Larry Moore and Raymond Paben.

Memorials may be made to Transitions of Western Illinois, St. Vincent's Home Activity Fund or to the Blessing Foundation for Hospice.