Obituary of Sharon Pickens

Sharon S. Pickens, age 88 longtime resident of the Iowa City area died Wednesday, April 3, 2024, at University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Downtown in Iowa City.

Funeral services will be held at 1pm Sunday, April 7, 2024, at First Christian Church in Coralville, where there will be a time of visitation and fellowship following the services.  Burial will be on Monday in Mount Ayr, Iowa.  Memorial donation can be made in her memory to First Christian Church.  To share a thought, memory or condolence please visit Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service website @ www.gayandciha.com.

Sharon Sue Payne was born February 16, 1936, in Mount Ayr, Iowa the daughter of Troy and Edna (Matthews) Payne.  Following graduation from high school in Mt. Ayr, she worked for Bankers Life Insurance in Des Moines for a couple of years until she left to marry Kenny.  She married Kenneth D. Pickens and followed him during his military service.  They returned to Mt. Ayr where they resided until Kenny accepted a position with HyVee.  Being with HyVee meant living in a number of different cities along the way, from Bedford, to Centerville, next Fort Dodge and to Iowa City in 1970.  Here in Iowa City in addition to being a full time mom, she worked as a bookkeeper for the former Kirkwood Avenue HyVee and later Waterfront location. The couple lived here until 1999 when they bought a home in Las Vegas on a golf course which they both enjoyed immensely. Sharon moved back to Iowa City in 2007 after Kenny’s death.

Sharon was baptized in the First Christian Church in Mt. Ayr at the age of 12.  Her strong faith has kept her involved in First Christian Churches wherever they lived.  Belonging and supporting so many of the churches groups and work.  Here in Iowa City she was a member of the Elks Club, KAABA Shrine Ladies, and volunteered for Iowa City Hospice.

Her family includes her son, Kris Pickens (Kelley Berry); grandchildren, Jacob, Carter and Lexi; sister, Brenda McDaniel (David); daughter-in-law, Janet and a number of other family members.

Sharon was preceded in death by her husband, Kenny; and son, Kent.