Carol Gladys Picking, 87, passed away November 22, 2015 at Samaritan Evergreen Hospice Hospital in Albany, Oregon. Carol was born February 7, 1928 in Hood River, Oregon to Erwin and Clara Lippman.

Carol graduated from Odell High School in 1946, where her father “Cap” (Erwin), a local orchardist, was also the high school custodian. She went on to attend the University of Oregon and graduated in 1950 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. Upon her graduation from college, she married her fiancee since high school, Vernon Picking, in August of 1950 at the Odell Methodist Church. Carol had been introduced to Vernon by her best friend, Mary Ellen Wirrick, who had been dating Vern's older brother, Chuck. The two best friends married the two Picking brothers and became sisters-in-law.

In 1954, with a loan from Carol's father, they built the Pine Grove Texaco service station on Highway 35. Carol and Vernon had four children: Ginny, Steve, Jeanne, and Stuart. Carol was very involved in her children's activities including serving on the local P.T.A.s and on the Hood River County School Board. She was a 4-H club leader, a den mother for Cub Scouts, a member of the Amicus Club and a member of the Hazel Rebekah Lodge.

Besides co-owning the family service station, she worked summers in the packing houses and for the OSU Agricultural Experiment Station.

Carol and Vernon lived for 50 years in the house that Vernon built on Paasch Road in Pine Grove until they moved to Corvallis in 2000 to be closer to where their children lived.

She is survived by her husband of 65 years, Vernon Picking of Corvallis, their children: Ginny (Rick) Taylor of Corvallis, Steve (Liz) Picking of Albany, and Jeanne (Dan) Hodges of Glide, Oregon. Also, she is survived by her grandchildren: Christi (Vince) Pontier, Ryan Hodges, Caitlin Taylor, and Rand Taylor as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Carol was preceded in death by her son, Stuart Picking, and her sister, Virginia Cunningham. She will be dearly missed by her family and friends. Her family was her priority and she was always ready to help in any way she could.

Services will be held on Saturday, November 28th at 1:00 PM in Anderson's Tribute Center. 1401 Belmont Avenue. Hood River, OR 97031; 541-386-1000.

Memorial donations in memory of Carol can be given to Samaritan Evergreen Hospice House and Program (Albany General Hospital Foundations: 1046 Sixth Ave., S.W., Albany, Or. 97231).

Please visit andersonstributecenter.com to leave a note of condolence for the family.