2/18/2013
Thelma Lorene Pickering was born on September 4, 1919 in Knoxville, Iowa, the daughter
of Gerrit and Maggie (Oostrum) Vroegh. She was a lifelong resident of Knoxville.
Thelma was united in marriage to Jerry James Pickering on February 16, 1951 in Pleasantville.
She was a homemaker and mother. She was a member of Celebrate Community Church and
First Reformed Church, where she has also been a Sunday school teacher. Thelma enjoyed
sewing and gardening and working on jumble puzzles.
Thelma passed away on Monday, February 18, 2013 at West Ridge Nursing & Rehab Center
in Knoxville at the age of 93 years. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband,
Jerry; son, Steven Pickering; great grandson, Bradley Pickering; and brothers, William
“Bud”, Lloyd, James and Dale Vroegh.
Those left to cherish her memory include her children, Cheryl (Terry) Thompson of
Waco, TX and Mark Pickering of Knoxville; daughter-in-law Carma Pickering of Knoxville;
sister-in-law, Phyllis Witte of Tucson, AZ; 9 grandchildren, Danielle Thompson,
Ryan (Adriana) Thompson, Gregg (Sherrie) Pickering, Julie (Draper) Handeland, Tamie
(Jay) Riken, Michelle (Steve) Watson, Steve Pickering, Jr., Josie Pickering and
Jeremiah Pickering; 12 great-grandchildren, Matthew Thompson, Haylee and Kaidan
Ryan, Jonathan and Nicole Pickering, T.J., Joel and Jared Handeland, Chelsea and
Kaitlan Musgrove, Ashley Sorgensen, and Steven Chance Pickering; and 1 great-great-grandson,
Jayden Pickering.
A visitation will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday, February 22 with family present from
5 to 7 p.m. at Williams Funeral Home in Knoxville.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, February 23 at 10 a.m. at the Williams
Funeral Home in Knoxville with Pastor Bruce Rietveld officiating.
Burial will follow in Graceland Cemetery in Knoxville. For those desiring, memorial
contributions may be made to HCI Care Services.