Charles Ray Pickett

Charles (Chuck) Ray Pickett, a proud U.S. Navy veteran and loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle and friend, passed away on September 21, 2024, at the age of 75. Born on December 22, 1948, in Omaha, he was the son of the late Eldon and Mary Pickett.

Chuck grew up in South Omaha and later moved to Gretna, Nebraska, with his three brothers—Denny, Jim, and Steve, where he attended Gretna High School.  As teenagers, Chuck and his brothers could be found cruising the streets of Gretna, and later they would get together most Saturdays in the fall to cheer on their favorite football team, the Nebraska Huskers.

Chuck joined the U.S. Navy in 1968 to serve his country honorably during the Vietnam War, where he was stationed aboard the USS James E. Kyes (DD 787). Chuck talked often about his time on the gun ship where he worked on the gun mound, how he was taught to use his pants as a life preserver, and how his ship was sent to work recovery for the Melbourne-Evans incident [1969]. After returning home, Chuck worked at Benson Feed Mill until it closed, then moved to IMS and later to International Feed, where he retired in 2016.

At the age of 16, Chuck met the love of his life, Ann [Schreiber] Pickett, on a roller-skating bus to Ashland. They married on August 8, 1970, and settled into a small house on Ann’s parents’ farm, welcoming their first son, Jeff, in 1971. In 1973, they moved to Springfield, Nebraska, where they had two more children: Jenni in 1974 and Moe in 1977.

Until their passing, Chuck and Ann spent many evenings with Ann’s parents, Moe and Jean Schreiber, playing competitive games of pitch or enjoying gatherings with friends at the Dew Drop Inn in Springfield. At home, Chuck was skilled at fixing everything from dishwashers to cars and built various items, including a porch swing, windmills, chairs, and a workbench. Every year he had planted a garden full of vegetables...although sometimes the rabbits got the best of him.

Throughout the years Chuck found himself a number of hobbies, many of which included birds…he raised Love birds, which ended loving each other a bit too much so he had to sell them to a pet store in South Omaha, he raced pigeons (under the “Pick It” loft with Chuck Korytowski) for the Omaha Racing Pigeon Association and won many races. Most recently he hatched pheasant and peacock eggs in one of the bedrooms of his house, and raised the assortment of colorful birds at Ann’s parents farm outside of Springfield. The birds must have been well cared for and fed, because Chuck was always having to go ‘fortify’ the pen, and building traps to keep the predators away. He also raised fish, first a big salt water tank, followed by building an outdoor fish pond for Koi, which later were replaced with goldfish.

A sports enthusiast, Chuck played soccer, volleyball, softball, tennis, and golf. He was a dedicated fan of the Nebraska Huskers– through the good years, and the bad he never stopped rooting for them. He also loved going to his children’s sports, coaching Jeff in soccer, cheering sometimes a bit too loudly, for Jeff, Jenni and Moe as they played football, soccer, volleyball or wrestling. To this day Jenni can still hear him shouting “more defense!” from the sideline.

Chuck adored his grandchildren, never saying no to letting them take over the living room with sleepover, even though he did refuse to take them to Hy-Vee breakfast (thanks to Dillon). He loved to give them rides on the mule, first all over the farm, then later in town where he always served as the “uber” down to the fair. When his grandchildren began to play sports, he was on the sideline for as many games as he could, the freezing cold or blazing hot didn’t stop him from watching them play. And as they got older he celebrated every graduation, new job and wedding, always proud of everyone of them.

With a quick laugh and a stubborn spirit, Chuck cherished every moment with his family. He will be deeply missed by his beloved wife, Ann; sons Jeff (Melissa) Pickett and Moe (Adrianne) Pickett; daughter Jenni (Bill) Reineke; grandchildren Mason, Cole, Kailey, Dillon, Konner, Braxton, and Aliyah; great-grandchildren Navy and Ayla; brother Steve (Christine) Pickett; sister-in-law Peggy (Sean) Dean; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

Funeral Service 10:30a.m. Friday (9/27/2024) at Roeder Mortuary, 11710 Standing Stone, Gretna, NE,  with visitation from 9:30-10:30a.m. 

Interment Springfield Memorial Cemetery.