RuthAnn Pickett

RuthAnn Pickett—beloved wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, sister, friend, teacher, mentor, and servant of Christ—went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, September 24, 2024 after a short, fierce battle with uterine cancer. She was 57 years old.

RuthAnn was born on April 4, 1967, in Miami, FL to Fred and Jimmie Wickham. She was the fifth of their combined six children. She spent her early childhood in Gainesville, Florida, and eventually moved to Fort Lauderdale where she graduated from Stranahan High School. She was raised in a Christian household and attended church and a Christian elementary school, but she did not follow after the Lord until later in life.

RuthAnn left home to attend Florida University at 19, but soon after she arrived, she discovered that she was pregnant. Though she wrestled with the idea of adoption, the Lord worked in her life so that she decided to keep and raise her baby. She moved back home and gave birth to her daughter, Dana Joyce, in 1988 at the age of 20.

Motherhood had a dramatic impact on RuthAnn’s life. She became incredibly nurturing and self-sacrificing in her love for her daughter. She finished her English degree from Florida Atlantic University in 1991 and worked hard to provide a wonderful life for Dana. When Dana became school aged, RuthAnn enrolled her in a Christian elementary school like one she had attended. This school belonged to Calvary Baptist Church in Fort Lauderdale, FL. RuthAnn began attending the church and soon integrated fully with her new community. In 1994, she took a teaching position at the school and began serving as a chaperone for the youth group with a man that would eventually become her husband.

Damian Pickett and RuthAnn Wickham didn’t immediately hit it off when they met for the first time at a youth event. But they were constantly in the same circles. When RuthAnn underwent a major life transformation—she bought a house, got a haircut, and replaced her transition glasses with contacts—Damian was suddenly smitten. What started as writing notes and leaving them in each other’s teacher boxes led to a whirlwind romance. They began dating in March of 1995, got engaged in June, and were married at the end of July. 

RuthAnn gave birth to her first son, Damian Jr., in 1997 at the age of 29. That summer the family moved to Tampa, Florida, where she homeschooled her daughter and took care of her new baby. But the family returned to Fort Lauderdale two years later and carried on serving faithfully at their church and school. 

In 2001, Damian and RuthAnn’s life turned to a whole new direction. Greatly burdened for the people of England to know Christ and to grow in His grace, they became missionaries with Baptist Bible Fellowship International. It was during their three years of deputation (raising support for missions) that RuthAnn realized she needed Christ to be her Savior. She finally understood that she had been working with a head knowledge of Christianity but not trusting with a heart knowledge of the Lord. In Canton, Texas, in 2002, RuthAnn prayed to receive Christ. She went right back to ministry and service but now with a sure foundation and assurance in Who she was serving. During this season, the Picketts really embraced traveling and sightseeing wherever they could. They would continue to explore the world and enjoy God’s creation as part of both their work and rest. 

The Picketts moved to Cannock, England in 2004 to begin their work as church planters, starting with Kingsmead Baptist Church. It was there that so many Brits witnessed her love for people, especially children. RuthAnn constantly searched for opportunities to do outreach in the community, so that they may to know the love of God.

After a difficult pregnancy, RuthAnn gave birth to her second son, Dakota James, in March 2005 at the age of 37. While fulfilling her missions work, she also fell in love with home education and became a passionate homeschooler of her two sons.

RuthAnn and Damian ministered in Cannock from 2004-2010. When it was time to move on to a new work, they went to Manchester and served Ebenezer Baptist Church from 2010-2020. RuthAnn was a gifted teacher who encouraged women to press towards the high calling of Christ. She not only had a tender heart, but also a keen mind that understood the true nature of most issues. She coordinated and led events for pastors’ wives, and maintained dozens of true friendships, loving people unconditionally and pointing them to the Savior. She used her creativity and craftiness to bring beauty and joy to everyone around her.

In 2013, RuthAnn became a Grammy. Her daughter Dana provided her with grandchildren—Washington, Theophilus, and Evangeline—who she treasured and showered with love and generosity. She prioritized visiting her grandkids every October for eight straight years, making autumn a magical season full of traditions and memories. Her love of nature, color, music, stories, crafts, hugs, laughs, and meals shared at a table are part of the legacy that she gave them. 

In 2020, the Picketts took a longer furlough during the pandemic, spending time with family all around the United States. Ultimately, they were drawn back to ministry in Brimpton, England in 2022. Here, she quickly began ministering to the children and ladies of her church and became extremely active in her local community. In just a little under two years, RuthAnn was known in her village as a sincere Christian who loved people.

In February 2024, RuthAnn began suffering from horrible pain in her abdomen. This led to exploratory surgery, an emergency hysterectomy, on April 4—her 57th birthday. They discovered that RuthAnn had a cancerous tumor. The cancer was extremely rare and aggressive. In June, they were told the prognosis was terminal. During the following months, family and friends traveled to see RuthAnn to convey their love in person. Many others supported her through phone calls, text messages, flowers, and more. 

RuthAnn, of course, continue to minister to those she loved, near and far, encouraging her friends, and witnessing to those that hadn’t yet trusted in Jesus. Even from her hospital bed. Though cancer had hurt her in many ways, she still maintained her love for and faith in her Savior. RuthAnn took a very sudden turn on the morning of September 23 and entered the presence of her Savior early the next morning, Tuesday, September 24, 2024. She will be deeply loved and dearly missed.

RuthAnn’s life is best illustrated in the following passage:

“But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Matthew 20:26-28

RuthAnn is survived by her husband of 29 years, Damian; her children, Dana (and her family), Damian Jr., and Dakota; and her three siblings: Arthur Rodger Voss, Elaine Forlani (and her family), and Shawn Wickham. She is preceded in death by her father and mother, Fred and Jimmie Wickham; brother, Freddie Wickham; sister, Wendy Wickham.

A Celebration of Life service for RuthAnn will be held on Monday, October 14, 2024, at 10 am at E. Alvin Small Funeral Home and Crematorium in Colonial Heights, VA. A lunch reception will follow at Homewood Suites by Hilton in Downtown Richmond. And a graveside service will be held at 3 pm at Hollywood Cemetery. 

RuthAnn loved flowers and bright colors (especially orange). Feel free to dress in joyful colors. Happy flowers may be ordered from the funeral home for the service. Thank you to all our friends for all your love and support. Condolences may be registered at www.ealvinsmall.com.