Jerry Richard Pickle

Jerry Richard Pickle of Temple, Texas passed away at home on Wednesday night, July 10th 2013, surrounded by his wife, Helen; son, Jonathan Russell Pickle; daughter, Sarah Elizabeth Pickle; and her husband, Aaron Ferrell Hodges. Pickle was born in Paris, Texas on February 2nd, 1947, and was raised in a string of hamlets in Northeastern Texas. He graduated from Garland High School in 1965, then took bachelor's and law degrees from University of Houston. At Houston, he was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity and was very active in student government. From 1977 until 2010, he was Senior Corporate Counsel at Scott and White Healthcare, which grew substantially during those years. In 1975, he married Belton native Helen Leigh Russell, now recently retired as teacher of AP Government at Belton High School. Their jubilant union produced three children and attracted a great many close friends, who will recall fondly his enthusiasm and hope for a more just and equitable world, his private Christian devotion, and his dedication to family. Pickle will also be remembered for his deep commitment to and involvement in the Temple community; he served as a member of the Temple Independent School District Board of Trustees, as well as on boards of numerous organizations, including the Ronald McDonald House, the Cultural Activities Center, the Temple Chamber of Commerce, the Bell County Historical Commission, the Salvation Army, and various professional organizations. Pickle was a lover of bad jokes and good westerns, and his infectious good cheer is the stuff of legend. He is preceded in death by his parents, Joseph Rambert Pickle and Martha Marie Biggers Pickle, and by his son, Stephen Richard Pickle. He is survived by a brother, Douglas Lynn Pickle of Amarillo, Texas, many nieces and nephews, and a cadre of Texas Democrats.