Bobbie Pickett
Mrs. Bobbie Jean Pickett, age 91, passed away on Monday, July 13, 2026, from complications due to Alzheimer’s, leaving behind a legacy of love, kindness and unwavering devotion to her family. She was born on Oct. 31, 1934, in Belzoni, Miss., to the late Beatrice Gordon, and later moved to Durant, Miss., where she spent most of her childhood.
Bobbie met the love of her life, Terry Pickett, in Durant, when he was attending school in the nearby community of Goodman, Miss. They were married on her 18th birthday, beginning a partnership that would carry them through more than six decades of love, adventure and shared dreams. After attending Holmes Junior College, where she studied secretarial and administrative sciences, Bobbie and Terry made their home in Hickman, Ky., in 1954, where they raised their three daughters.
While her greatest calling was being a wife and mother, Bobbie also enjoyed a successful career in administrative work. She held several secretarial positions over the years, but found her greatest professional satisfaction serving as Office Manager for the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department. She took pride in her work, treasured the friendships she made there and was respected by all who knew her. Retirement brought an unexpected adventure when Terry accepted an overseas assignment in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Bobbie joined him a year later, and together they spent five unforgettable years there. While there, she served as secretary to the principal of a private English elementary school and often reflected that those years were among the happiest of her life. The friendships she formed with people from across the United States remained dear to her heart for many years afterward. Although Hickman was always home, Bobbie embraced the opportunity to see the world, proving it is never too late for a new adventure or a new friend.” Of all the titles Bobbie held throughout her life, “Grandmother” was the name she cherished the most. She poured her heart into her eight grandchildren, cheering them on from near and far through school programs, athletic events, concerts and plays. No distance was too great when it came to celebrating the people she loved most.
She had an especially tender heart for children. Whether they were her own grandchildren, a neighbor’s child or someone she had never met, she believed every child deserved to feel safe, loved and encouraged. She quietly supported children’s charities over the years and never hesitated to help when she saw a child in need. Her kindness wasn’t something she talked about-it was simply the way she lived. Bobbie had a remarkable gift for making a house feel like a home. Her creative hands were rarely still as she crafted beautiful, personalized decorations and gifts for family and friends. Christmas was her favorite season, and each year she transformed her home into a place of warmth, beauty and joy. Her handmade ornaments and decorations became treasured keepsakes that will continue to bring smiles for generations.
Those who knew Bobbie will remember her gentle spirit, gracious heart, quiet strength and genuine interest in others. She never met a stranger for long and had a way of making everyone feel welcome. Her life was a beautiful example of love expressed through simple acts of kindness, faithful friendship and steadfast devotion to her family.
She is lovingly survived by her daughters, Sherry (Jack) Amberg of Montgomery, Texas; Melody (Dave) Turner of Grand Junction, Colo.; and Sandy Johnson of Fulton, Ky.; her eight grandchildren, Benjamin (Kathryn) Amberg of Houston, Texas, Erik Bennett (Courtney) of Smyrna, Adam (Emily) Amberg of Saint-Pierre, Mauritius, Lief Bennett of Aspen, Colo., Austin Bennett of Murfreesboro, Dakota Johnson of Washington, D.C., Quinn Johnson of Omaha, Neb., and Olivia Turner of Grand Junction, Colo.; and her five great-grandchildren, Noah and Josiah Amberg, Lenox Bennett and Remedy and Denver Bennett.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Terry Glynn Pickett; her mother, Beatrice Mercer Gordon; and her precious great-grandson, Silas Justice Amberg.
Services celebrating Bobbie’s life will be held at Hornbeak Funeral Chapel in Hickman on Sunday, July 19, 2026, at 2 p.m., with burial immediately following at Hickman City Cemetery.
Serving as pallbearers will be grandsons, Benjamin Amberg, Dakota Johnson and Quinn Johnson; son-in-laws, Jack Amberg and Dave Turner; and dear friends, Dr. Bill James, Jackie Duncan and Steve Coulson. Honorary pallbearers are grandsons, Erik Bennett, Adam Amberg, Lief Bennett and Austin Bennett.
Though our hearts are heavy with loss, we are grateful for the countless memories Bobbye leaves behind. She will live on in every Christmas ornament carefully hung, every family gathering filled with laughter and every story told with her unmistakable Mississippi drawl that never seemed to fade. She leaves behind a legacy of faith, generosity and unconditional love that will continue to bless her family for generations to come.
“Her children arise up, and call her blessed.” — Proverbs 31:28
The Messenger