Lloyd Lee Pickel

        Lloyd Lee Pickel, 88, of Poteau, OK was born July 6, 1930 in Poteau  and passed away December 3, 2018 in Ft. Smith, AR.  Our strong, loving, tremendously funny, and sweet Dad  said goodbye to this ole Earth and started his new life with the Lord.   We have a sense of peace knowing he is much happier now and in NO pain.  He was almost 90 and was  married to Mom almost 70 years which he was most happy about.   Lloyd served as a tank instructor while in the US Army at Ft. Knox, KY.  Upon return to civilian life, he was a coal miner, crew foreman and then daytime superintendent for the Lone Star Steel Coal Mine in McAlester, OK.  The family moved to Hobbs, NM in 1965, where he was the underground shift superintendent at the Kerr McGee Potash Mine.  Returning to Poteau in 1967, he helped start and develop the Howe Coal Company Mine.  Later he went  to work as a Federal Mine Safety Inspector where he was a Regional Inspector. In retirement, he enjoyed woodworking, gardening and reading WWII history.  Lloyd was preceded in death by his parents, Eva & Hubert Pickel; and brother, Earl Pickel.

          Survivors include his wife of 68 years, Dora  (Goldsmith) Pickel; dog, Daisy; daughter & son in law, Terry & Rick Summerlin of Tulsa, OK; sons & daughters in law, Jim & Cathy Pickel of Springfield, MO, Jon Pickel and Carol Kannady of Poteau, OK, David & JoAnn Pickel of Broken Arrow, OK; 11 grandchildren, Sherry Theobald, Matt Summerlin, Jennifer Bailey, Steven Pickel, Julie Hayes, Leslie Jett, Michael, Mark, Morgan, Shelby & Carson Pickel; 13 great grandchildren; other relatives, loved ones and friends.

          Services will be  2 pm, Thursday, December 6, 2018 at the First Christian Church, Poteau, OK.  Interment will follow at Oakland Cemetery, Poteau.  Pallbearers will be his grandsons and honorary pallbearers will be his grandsons in law.

          The family will be at the funeral home on Wednesday evening from 5:30 – 7 pm to visit with relatives & friends.