Charles "Junior" Clay Pickett

Charles “Junior” Clay Pickett, 96, passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 26, 2025, in Louisville, Kentucky. Born on March 14, 1929, in Russell Springs, Kentucky, to Enoch and Vivian Pickett, Junior lived a long and full life marked by love, laughter, hard work, and dedication to family.

Junior was a proud veteran of the United States Army, serving his country while stationed in Germany. He loved to tell the story of how he didn’t get seasick on the way there—but wasn’t quite so lucky on the trip home.

After returning stateside, Junior became the longtime owner and barber at Pickett’s Barber Shop, a community staple since the mid-1960s. Many who sat in his chair not only got a fine haircut but also a good story, a laugh, or some hard-earned wisdom.

He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, great-great-grandfather, and brother. His children fondly remember the “sock dance” that became a family favorite over the years, and his son James especially loved telling the story of the time Junior charged at a bear to protect his family. Junior had a wonderful sense of humor and a knack for mischief that endeared him to everyone who knew him.

A man of simple joys, Junior loved grape jelly, ice cream, and being outdoors. He enjoyed off-roading in his favorite Jeeps, fishing and hunting, riding his bike well into his late 80s, and tinkering on countless projects. Though he often said he wished he’d spent even more time with his family, his life was filled with moments of love and laughter that his family will cherish forever.

Junior will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Junior is preceded in death by his loving wife of 53 years, Mary Elizabeth Pickett; siblings, Cleston Pickett, Shively Pickett, and Ivy Brown; and his parents, Charles Enoch Pickett and Vivian Shuffett Pickett.

Left to cherish his memory, Junior is survived by his children, James Pickett, Sheryl Seigle, and Greg Pickett (Luda); grandchildren, Tammy Ross, Rachel Clapp (Devin), and Rebecca Pickett; great-grandchildren, Eric Ross and Brittany Robel (David); and great-great-grandchildren, Landon Curtsinger, Caleb Ross, and Serenity Ross.

A funeral service for Mr. Charles "Junior" Pickett will be held at 2 PM on Thursday, October 30, 2025, at Louisville Memorial Gardens West Funeral Home, 4400 Dixie Highway, Louisville, Kentucky. Visitation will be held from 10 AM to 2 PM at the funeral home, prior to the funeral service. Burial at Louisville Memorial Gardens West will follow the funeral service.