Heyburn, Idaho
George Lloyd Pickup, 88, of Heyburn, Idaho, peacefully departed this earthly existence in his sleep on Wednesday, June 9, 2010, of natural causes.
George was born at home on Dec. 18, 1921, in Roosevelt, Utah, the fourth of seven children (five sons and two daughters) born to Alton and Ada Belle Weight Pickup. He spent his youth in and around the Uintah Basin in eastern Utah, where his family farmed and raised cattle and horses. He graduated from Union High School where he was successful in FFA and warmed the bench of their basketball team. He was drafted into the United States Army in March of 1944. George held the rank of Corporal in the infantry where he fought the German army in France and Belgium. Wounded in the Battle of the Bulge, he was taken prisoner and held in a German prison camp until liberated on Easter Sunday 1945. His post-war medical care was given at Bushnell General Hospital in Brigham City, Utah.
It was while traveling on a bus back to the Basin on leave that he met his future wife, Louise Earl, who was visiting common friends in Roosevelt. One year later, they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They returned to the Uintah Basin to live until George’s name was drawn to receive a homestead in the Tulelake Basin near Klamath Falls, Oregon, in 1949. They were one of many young, veteran couples drawn that year who became known as the “49ers”. They “camped out” for one full year in a makeshift house, rebuilt from a Japanese Internment Camp barracks as was required to obtain ownership of their new farm.
One daughter and four sons were eventually born into the family. Each one became part of George’s farm crew as he developed their homestead into a productive farm. After an attempt at raising potatoes, George turned to alfalfa and grain. His sons eventually grew into useful farmhands that contributed to successfully hauling tons of hay by hand using old trucks and new elevators which George also sold to neighbors as a side business. However, his real love was with his cattle and horses as he was known to always have several horses around to help with his small herd of cattle. He always appreciated a good horse. Later in his life, he helped neighbors work their cattle whenever he could. He loved to be on a horse out in the brush and junipers, roping, branding and working cattle.
Always a hard worker, he instilled a solid work ethic in his children. Seldom could one find him idle. Service in the Church began early in his life serving as the president of a young branch of the Church for nineteen years followed by several years on the high council and later as clerk. As long as his health would permit, he was a diligent home teacher—a responsibility he took very seriously.
George took great pride in the success of his children and grandchildren. He was very supportive of their athletic and scholastic achievements. He was able to contribute to their successes while serving as a 4-H leader for nearly 30 years. George was able to attend most of the high school games that his children participated in by driving the team bus to the away games. It was not uncommon to find George behind the wheel on the team bus and Louise driving the rooter’s bus. They both loved to watch their family members participate in any endeavor.
George’s life became extremely lonely in 1999, when his beloved Louise passed away. He was also preceded in death by his parents and his three older brothers.
Survivors include a younger brother, Quint (Norma) Pickup of Price, Utah; sisters, Thora O’Neil of Price, Utah, and Leah Chandler of Salt Lake City, Utah; his only daughter, Susan Batson of Rupert, Idaho; and sons, Reed (Coleen) of Burley, Idaho, Ray (Lynette) of Vancouver, Washington, David (Jill) of Roy, Utah, and Scott (Susan) of Heyburn, Idaho; 32 grandchildren; and 39 great-grandchildren.
The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, June 14, at the Heyburn LDS 1st and 2nd Ward Church, 530 Villa Dr., with Bishop Bruce Burtenshaw officiating. Burial will be in the Pleasant View Cemetery in Burley, with military rites provided by the Mini-Cassia Veterans Organization.
Friends may call from 6 until 8 p.m. Sunday, June 13, at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, and from 10 until 10:45 a.m. Monday at the church.
