Rex Andrew Pickens' Obituary
Services for Rex A. Pickens, 95, of Hallsville will be at 3:00p.m., Saturday, May 9, 2015, at Rader Funeral Home, Longview. Visitation will be from 6-8p.m. Friday, May 8, 2015, at the funeral home. Mr. Pickens passed away on Tuesday, May 5, 2015 in Longview.
“Mr. Dairy Queen” was born in Boswell, OK on April 30, 1920, to William and Uva Ursi Pickens. He worked on the family farm and helped his dad rebuild their house after it was destroyed by fire. He married Wanda Fry on August 1, 1942. He joined the United States Army that same year and served for 2 ½ years in France, Germany and England. After the war, he worked for the Bond Bread Company, as a salesman, in Ada, OK. Every day after work Rex would stop at the local ice cream store. Rex and Wanda worked hard to save their money, and in January 1949 they moved to Marshall, with their 2 month old daughter, and purchased a Dairy Queen franchise. Each workday began at 4:00a.m. and often ended at midnight, six days a week. As owner/operator, Rex established the East Texas franchise which included 8 stores in Marshall, Jefferson, Hallsville and Longview.
In 1952, Rex received his private pilot’s license and had his own plane for 30 years. On one occasion he was flying from Marshall to Boswell, OK. When he tried to land in a muddy field. He flipped the plane and broke the propeller so he hitchhiked back to Marshall, found a new “prop” for the plane and then hitchhiked back to Boswell with a new 9 foot propeller. He attached the new propeller and flew back to Marshall all in the same day.
In 1980, Rex and Wanda moved to Hallsville and settled at the “3-P Ranch”. They raised cattle, horses, chickens, geese and ducks that they named and loved to watch, while sipping cold Dr. Pepper on the front porch. Most of all, they loved watching their grandchildren play with the animals and pick vegetables from their garden. “Pa’s” three grandchildren were the light of his life. He spent many happy hours at the ballpark; at football halftimes; and the 3-P Ranch with them. “Pa” and “Nanny” enjoyed many vacations with their children and grandchildren. Together they made unforgettable memories on the ski slopes of Angel Fire, NM, and Vail, CO. Rex continued to ski until he was 85 years old.
Nothing seemed to slow Rex down. He was an avid antique car collector and owned over 30 vehicles, which included his father’s old Chevy pickup truck.
After the passing of his wife, Wanda, in 1994, he enjoyed many happy years with his “Sweetie”, Paula Cain. They loved to travel. They kept each other company and shared many great times together.
Even though Rex put in long hours in his Dairy Queen stores, he still found time to give back to the community that had supported him and his family all these years. He was President of the Marshall Kiwanis Club; on the Board of Directors of both the Marshall and Hallsville Chamber of Commerce; and a Deacon and Elder at both Eastern Hills and Hallsville Church of Christ. He was a Shriner for 60 years and a Mason for 68 years. Over a span of 33 years, Rex enjoyed driving the reigning Miss Hallsville in hundreds of parades in one of his classic convertible cars. He was a member of the Alpine Church of Christ.
Rex is survived by his daughter, Cheryl and son-in-law, Ric McNulty; grandson Mark McNulty and wife, Wendi and great granddaughters, Mallory and Emery; granddaughter, Meredith McNulty Brown and husband Matt and three great grandchildren, Taylor, Sydney and Addison; grandson, Michael McNulty; brother Don Pickens; sister, Laura Mitchell; nieces Ann Taylor and Merti Baldwin.
“Don’t regret the things you’ve done; only the things you didn’t do”
In lieu of flowers please feed someone.
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