Beulah Emaline Pickett, 83, daughter of Thomas Keggie "T.K." and Kizzie House Coats, was born Oct 3, 1913, at Clara. She died Aug 24, 1997, at her home in Houston. She attended school at Clara through the eighth grade, went two years to high school at White Rock and graduated from Houston High School in 1933 with her younger brother, Ansel. She missed a year of high school due to pneumonia and a lung abscess. As a young girl, she became a member of the First Baptist Church in Houston. Except for the summer of 1937, working as a waitress on top of Mt. Manitou in Colorado, she spent her entire life in Texas County.
She married Herley Evan Pickett May 2, 1943. While her husband served in the armed forces, she lived with her parents on the family farm and worked as a clerk at Lilly's Store in Houston. After Evan's discharge in 1945, they lived on the Pickett family farm near Plato. While living in the Plato area, Mrs. Pickett served as postmistress of the Plato Post Office and was active in the Belle Christian Church, which became the Roby Christian Church, helping with its music programs. She played the piano and sang at numerous funerals over the years. Mrs. Pickett became well known for her cake-making ability and made and decorated cakes for weddings, anniversaries and other special occasions in northern Texas County for more than 20 years. She was well known for her crochet work, making doilies, Christmas ornaments, bedspreads, decorations for pillowcases and handkerchiefs and other fancy work. The Picketts sold the farm and moved to Houston about 16 years ago.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband; and two sisters, Stella Hogan and Nellie Goldsberry. Surviving is one brother, Ansel Coats of Houston. Services were Aug. 26 at the Evans Funeral Home Chapel in Houston with the Rev. Bruce Moore and the Rev. Kenneth Gibson officiating. Burial was in Mt. Pisgah Cemetery.
Houston Herald Texas Co., MO newspaper Aug 28, 1997
Evan Herley Pickett, 95, son of Arthur Haywood Pickett and Annie Frances Doll Pickett, was born July 15, 1901, at Plato. He died Nov 10, 1996, at Texas County Memorial Hospital in Houston. He attended school at Plato and graduated from Lebanon High School in 1924. After graduating from Springfield Teaching College in 1929, he taught school for several years. In 1939, he went to work for the relief program, forerunner of the Division of Family Services. Mr. Pickett was drafted into the Army in 1942 and was discharged in 1943, due to his age.
He married Beulah Emaline Coats May 2, 1943. They lived on the Pickett family farm at Plato. He served as collector for Roubidioux Township for several years and farmed. He was a member of the Roby Christian Church. The Picketts sold their farm in 1982 and moved to Houston. He was preceded in death by a sister, Oma Almedia Thomas.
Surviving is his wife, Beulah, of the home in Houston. Services were Nov. 13 at the Evans Funeral Home Chapel in Houston with the Rev. Bruce Moore and the Rev. Kenneth Gibson officiating. Burial was in the Mt. Pisgah Cemetery.
Houston Herald Texas Co., MO newspaper Nov 14, 1996 / Obituaries contributed by Margarette Powell