Ryan Mark Pickens

Ryan Mark Pickens was born on June 1, 1980 at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota to Otis Mark and Laura Lou Pickens. He was 41 years old when he passed in his sleep, at his home in Arvada, Colorado on Friday March 25th, 2022. His death was deemed to be due to natural causes related to his ongoing health issues.

Ryan had one sister, Alicia McFerrin 3 years his junior. He was never married, but Shea Lewan, the mother of his children, was the love of his life and one of his best friends over the years. He attended Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, TX and graduated with his Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology in 2012 from Metropolitan College of Denver. He was employed as a Residential Counselor at the Mental Health Center of Denver. This job was his greatest personal success, as he had worked for years to use his degree in Psychology to help others. Ryan was a hardcore Cowboys fan and a closet Bronco’s fan after living in Denver so many years.

Ryan is survived by his two daughters Allycia Marie and Natalia Charlize Pickens, his children by choice, Shea’s older children, Kody and Miya Lujan, Father Otis Mark Pickens, Sister Alicia McFerrin, Maternal Aunts and Uncles Roger and Darlene Craft, Lisa and Ken Stearns, Shawna and Michael Barker, and William and Mary Craft, Paternal Aunts and Uncles Ronald and Jean Pickens, Randall and Alice Pickens, and Dennis Miller, one nephew, 4 nieces, one great-nephew, and countless cousins and friends.

Ryan is preceded in death by his Mother Laura Lou Pickens, Paternal Grandparents Otis Martin Pickens and Delores Maxine Shirley and Maternal Grandparents Larry Eugene Craft and Georgia Lou Payton and Aunt Teresa Miller.

A celebration of life for Ryan will be held at Olinger Crown Hill Mortuary Pavilion of Reflection in Wheat Ridge, CO on Saturday, June 18th at 10:30am.

A memorial fund has been established at Go Fund Me to assist with funeral expenses.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-in-memory-of-ryan-mark-pickens?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1

Ryan passed peacefully, having conquered hospitals, nursing homes, and doctors who told him he would never walk or feed himself again, let alone be independent and work helping others in their suffering. He literally laughed in the face of “you won’t” or “you’ll never” and was proud of where he had made it to in life, making a huge impact on others. In that memory we want to share a few quotes from one of his favorite poets…

“Never to suffer would never to be blessed”

“To die laughing must be the most glorious of all deaths”

-Edgar Allen Poe