A Memorial Service Celebrating Leonard’s Life
Saturday Afternoon, May 21, 2022
Beginning at 1:15pm
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
#1 Bachrach Court
Decatur, Illinois 62526
Pastor Mark Gehrig, Officiating
Burial to follow
Macon County Memorial Park
Harristown, Illinois
Jesus came to proclaim “Well done good and faithful servant” to Leonard O (Pick) Pickerill on the evening of April 13th, 2020.
Leonard was born in November of 1930 in Hillsboro, Illinois to Theodore (Oren) and Nannie (Nan) Pickerill. The eldest of three children, Leonard married Victoria Lee Hlastan in December of 1950 in Hillsboro, Illinois at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. He owned and operated the Shell gas station on Main Street in Hillsboro and went on to become a tool and die maker. He later moved his family to Decatur.
He practiced his craft at Marvel Schebler and Wagner Castings before becoming the tool room foreman at Wagner. He later became the general foreman and finally the superintendent of maintenance. After retiring he started Pick’s Tool and Design, working with Caterpillar, ADM and several machine shops in Decatur.
He derived great joy coaching his two sons’ teams during baseball and hockey seasons. He will be fondly remembered and called “coach” by the many young men he impacted as he coached those teams as well. He was inducted into the Decatur Youth Hockey Hall of Fame in November 2018 as one of the original pillars of youth hockey in Decatur.
His sons and grandchildren were on the receiving end of his vast knowledge of a variety of subjects. He loved to teach, coach and cook and was able to repair just about anything. There was truth in the saying that “if grandpa can’t fix it, we are all in trouble”. Everyone brought anything broken to Pick, he considered it a challenge. If it could be fixed, he fixed it. Pick was a huge fan of the Chicago Cubs, and enjoyed watching his eldest son, his grandson and his great grandson follow in his footsteps.
Pick never knew a stranger. His ability to grow a garden and prepare home grown recipes from his garden were legendary. For several years he threw a “corn roast” in his backyard in the early fall that all of Mt. Zion, Illinois looked forward to attending. His grandchildren and great grandchildren were a constant source of joy for him. Most importantly, he loved his Lord and reflected that in all he did.
He leaves behind his wife Victoria; brother Jim (Sue) Pickerill of Cleveland, Ohio; sister Janet (Dale) Meesey of Colorado Springs, Colorado; two sons, Michael (LeeAnn) and William (friend Denette). As well as three grandchildren Jason Pickerill (fiance Stacey) of Decatur, Illinois, Jennifer (Jon) Stone of Forsyth, Illinois, and Beth Ann Pickerill of Indianapolis, Indiana; two great grandchildren, Aiden and Addison, and six nieces and nephews.
He was preceded to his Eternal reward by his parents.
Please sign the family guestbook.