Anna Fay Pickel, 97, of Tifton passed away Wednesday, August 5, 2015, at Tift Regional Medical Center. By any measure, Fay’s passing was a blessed one. Her life will be celebrated in a memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 15, 2015, at Herring Memorial United Methodist Church in Tifton. A second memorial celebration is scheduled for Fay at Thorn Grove Christian Church in Strawberry Plains, Tennessee (near Knoxville) on August 29, 2015. Fay’s remains will be buried at Thorn Grove Christian Church Cemetery in Strawberry Plains, Tennessee.
Fay was born March 29, 1918 in Knoxville, Tennessee, the daughter of George Oscar and Dennie Huffaker Pickel. She was the fourth of seven children. Her siblings were Louise, Ralph, Harry, Roy, Tom and Leon. Fay grew up in Riverdale Methodist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. After graduating from Carter High School, she worked at various jobs. During World War II, she worked for a time in Washington, D.C., where she became good friends with Ruby Lewis. At age 49, Fay entered college, earning as Associate’s degree from Hiawassee College in Madisonville, Tennessee in 1968 and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Scarritt College in Nashville, Tennessee in 1970. She then began working as a “church and community worker” in the Methodist Church. From 1970-177, Fay worked at Henderson County Group Ministry in Lexington, Tennessee and then, from 1977-1983, she worked at Hillcrest-Bruce Outreach Ministry in Ashland, Kentucky.
In 1983, Herring Memorial United Methodist Church in Tifton began looking for some extra staff support. Fay learned of this through her dear friend, Ruby, who lived in Douglas. She applied to work at Herring Memorial, was hired and moved to Tifton in December 1983, where she would remain until her death. Fay lived in an apartment and found a home at Tift Tower. She was much a part of life there, playing the piano and attending weekly Bible study. She worked at Herring Memorial in a number of capacities until the last week of her life. She was a fine pianist and enjoyed playing for worship. She served as church treasurer and as a Green House secretary. She was active for many years in Herring’s ministry with children and youth and helped mentor some of Herring’s current lay leaders. In all of these roles, Fay worked closely with and befriended Herring’s pastors. For nearly 32 years, Fay was always there as a stabilizing present. She’ll be sorely missed and remembered as one of Herring Memorial’s beloved church mothers.
Fay is survived by two brothers, Tom Pickel and Leon Pickel; one nephew, Terry Pickel; and three nieces, Harriet Phillips, Phyllis Spangler and Luanne Bradley.