Leota Tackeberry Pickens, age 101, passed from this life Thursday, February 13, 2025 in Centerton ,Arkansas. She was born January 28, 1924 in Octa, Missouri.

Mrs. Pickens was raised in the Octa community which her great-grandfather Johnson helped to establish (a fact she was very proud of). Another point  of pride was the fact that she was a Tackeberry, because they, too, were instrumental in clearing land and establishing Octa and the surrounding areas. She went on to raise her children there (and in Kennett) before living and working in Illinois and Florida. More than anything, she loved traveling and spending time with her family. But, no matter where life took her, she always called Octa home and Johnson Chapel Church there "her Church".

She was preceded in death by her father, James Albert Tackeberry, her mother: Cora Baker Tackeberry Jones; her husband Raymond Frederick Pickens, Two granddaughters: Andria Ray Pickens and Lisa Hahn Reinsdorf; all of her siblings: Leon Tackeberry, Dorothy Tackeberry Barkovitz, Hal Dean Tackeberry, and Jimmy Dale Tackeberry: and one son-in-law: Sanford Alan Hahn.

To remember her fondly, Mrs.Pickens leaves behind her children: Ronald Pickens (June) of Mountain Home, Arkansas, James Pickens (Bev)  of Estero, Florida, Kay Pickens Hahn, of Libertyville, Illinois and Alma Pickens Shuckhart (Rodney) of Big Canoe, Georgia: grandchildren: Nikki Pickens Ellis, Neil Pickens (Kim), Dean Hahn (Amanda), Jamie Pickens, Ryan Shuckhart, Jodi Pickens Darling (Bryan), Lori Hahn and Jennifer Hahn Kaplan: several great- grandchildren, one great-great grandchild and many other loved ones.

The family will receive friends from 1:30-2:30pm  Saturday, February 22, 2025, followed by a funeral service at 2:30 pm at Johnson's Chapel Church south of  Kennett, with Scott Andrews officiating. Burial will follow in Liberty Cemetery in Caruth, Missouri.

Honored to serve as pallbearers are grandsons: Neil Pickens, Dean Hahn, Jamie Pickens, Ryan Shuckhart, Cody Ellis, Caden Darling, Jordan Pickens and Evan Hahn.

For those wishing to leave lasting memorials, the family requests you consider The American Heart Association or  the Liberty Cemetery Fund.