DAVID

Barbara H. Pickering, 88, of Mexico, passed away at 4:03 a.m. Monday June 24, 2024, at The King’s Daughters Home in Mexico.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday June 27, 2024, at Pickering Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Elmwood Cemetery.  Visitation will be Thursday from Noon until service time at the funeral home.

Barbara was born February 5, 1936, at Audrain Medical Center in Mexico. She was the daughter of William T. “Red” and Elaine (Duchesne) Hutchinson. On March 28, 1958, she married Connie L. Pickering who survives.

Barbara graduated from Mexico High School in 1954. Her first job was during her school years babysitting for 25 cents an hour. She would go to church camp during the summers with her church group, First Christian, with her final year of camp being hosted at the Lake of the Ozarks. Barbara met a boy, Connie L. Pickering, at the camp who was from Fulton High School. Later, they would meet again at a “Cabin Watering Hole” in Auxvasse Hill that  Connie’s parents owned. She remembers going with some girlfriends to check it out - and - mainly going to check out the cute boy she had met at camp. Connie caught her eye as soon as she and the girls walked in the door, so she said, “Hello, Connie” matter-of-factly and with dignified poise. He nodded and continued up the stairs to the living quarters of the cabin and asked a couple from Mexico who happened to be up there who I was. He then returned to the dance floor area with the jukebox playing and responded, “Hi, Barbara, would you like to dance?” Of course, Barbara agreed. She was smitten and in love. That night Connie told his family and friends he found the girl he would marry, and so he called her up and asked her if she would go “steady” with him. They would marry on March 28, 1958. For their honeymoon, they took a road trip to Florida. They just recently celebrated their 66th year together.

Barbara loved her hometown of Mexico. She worked hard promoting and selling Mexico in many capacities. She worked for the Mexico Area Chamber of Commerce for 14 years as Executive Director, completed her work career with the City of Mexico for 18 years as Community Outreach Coordinator until her retirement. She served on the Missouri Lottery Commission Board for seven years, and many other committees and commissions.  Connie and Barbara both also worked with the Miss Missouri Pageant from 1969-2014 – they were instrumental in getting the pageant venue changed from Springfield, MO to Mexico, MO with its first pageant occurring in 1970. She could also often be found assisting Connie in the family business at Pickering Funeral Home, mostly behind the scenes.

Barbara and Connie loved to travel when they had the time. They enjoyed two separate trips to Europe and were able to see five different European countries.  One of the coolest and first trips they took out of the country was to Acapulco, Mexico. They loved to entertain and host parties.

 In addition to her husband Connie, survivors include one son, David Pickering (Gail), of Mexico; one daughter, Pamela Prater (Mark), of Mexico; one sister, Brenda Newbrough, of Indianapolis, Indiana; one sister in law, Ann Hutchinson, of Mexico; five grandchildren, Lorie Meyer (TC), of Mexico, Scott Prater (Megan), of Centralia, Bethanie Baker (Luke), of Ashland, Ryan Pickering (Kelsey), of Ashland, and Matthew Prater (Breanna), of Mexico; and 11 great grandchildren, Zane, Zeke, and Zeth Meyer, Cody and Audrey Prater, Logan and Brenna  Baker, Austin, Addison, and Avery Pickering, and Dawson Prater; She also had many nieces and nephews on both hers and Connie’s side of the family that she dearly loved.  Barbara loved her friends and talked about them often.

She was preceded in death by her parents; one brother, Billy Joe Hutchinson; one brother in law, Jim Newbrough.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be given to either The King’s Daughters Home or  the Mexico Elks Scholarship Fund. They may be sent in care of Pickering Funeral Home, 403 N. Western, Mexico, MO 65265.

Expressions of sympathy may be given at www.PickeringFH.com