Susan J. “Susie” Pickman, 74, Atchison, Kansas, died Tuesday, December 1, 2015 at her home.

Mass of Christian burial will be Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015 at 10:30 AM at St. Benedict’s Church with Abbot Barnabas Senecal, OSB as celebrant.  Burial will follow in the Mt. Calvary Cemetery.  A Parish rosary will be recited on Friday, Dec. 4, at 6:00 PM followed by visitation with the family until 8:00 PM in the chapel of the Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home.  Memorials are suggested to St. Benedict Parish, Atchison Hospice or the American Heart Association and may be left in care of the funeral home.  Condolences may be left at www.arensbergpruett.com.

Susie was born on November 26, 1941 in Los Angeles, California the daughter of Joseph and Dorothy Duncan Thomas.  She attended the Catholic elementary schools in Atchison and graduated from Mount St. Scholastica Academy.  

Susie and Marcellus “Bud” Pickman were united in marriage on February 27, 1965 at St. Benedict’s Church in Atchison. 

She was a former Atchison County Commissioner serving from 1988 until 1996. During her term the commission installed E911, addressed the entire county and built a new landfill.  She served as Chairman of the Board five of the eight years she was in office.  She served on several county boards including Atchison Chamber of Commerce, Northeast County Health Board and Project Concern. Before being elected Commissioner she was a news director at KAIR Radio and served as Walnut Township Treasurer from 1980 until 1988.

She was a member of St. Benedict Parish.  Susie enjoyed people and many friends, she loved traveling and going to the casino and most of all she dearly loved spending time with her grandchildren.

Survivors include her husband, Marcellus “Bud” Pickman of the couple’s home in Atchison, four sons, Christopher (Tess) Pickman, Virginia Beach, VA, Peter Pickman, Effingham, KS, Charles (Tyra) Pickman, Atchison, Jeff (Michelle) Pickman, Atchison, two daughters, Suzanne (James) Coulter, Olathe, KS, Mary Beth (Jonathan) Reynolds, Leavenworth, KS, a sister Ruth Smith, Hattisburg, MS, and eleven grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, a son Thomas Edward Pickman, a sister Mary Ellen Noll and two brothers, Thomas Quintin Thomas and John Thomas.