Lutheran pastor dies at age 62

By Susan Szalewski, World-Herald Staff Writer

The Rev. Dianne Picton found her calling as a pastor after she had a successful career as a nurse and raised two sons into their teen years.

Picton was ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in 1994 and shepherded congregations in rural Scribner and Uehling, Neb., for eight years.

But cancer cut short her ministry. Picton died Saturday at her home in Fremont. She was 62.

A memorial service was scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday at First Lutheran Church in Blair, Neb.

Picton was born in Bloomfield, Neb. She graduated from Immanuel School of Nursing in Omaha in 1963, the same year she was married. She earned a bachelor of science degree from the University of Omaha in 1964.

Picton worked as a nurse, taught nursing and raised her children. But when they became teen-agers, she began to take courses at Midland Lutheran College in Fremont. Picton received as associate degree in religion from the college in 1983.

At age 54, she earned a master’s of divinity degree from Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa.

Picton split pastoral duties between St. John “County Line” Church in rural Scribner and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Uehling.

Survivors include her husband, Owen; sons David of Blair and Stephen of Brookfield, Ill.; brother Dennis of Bloomfield; and one grandson.

Omaha World Herald 3 Dec 2002

PICTON—Rev. Dianne, age 62 yrs., Fremont, NE formerly of Scribner. Died 11-30-2002 at her residence in Fremont. Graduated Immanuel School of Nursing in Omaha 1963, graduated UNO, Bachelors in Science 1964, Assoc Degree-Religion from Midland Lutheran College in Fremont 1983, Masters of Divinity from Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, IA 1994. She served as Pastor at St. John’s County Line in rural Scribner and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Uehling for the past 8 years.

Survived by husband, Owen, Fremont; 2 sons, David and Cindy, Blair; Stephen and Kelly, Brookfield, IL; brother, Dennis and Peggy, Bloomfield, NE; 1 grandson.

MEMORIAL SERVICE Thurs. (12/5) 2 pm, First Lutheran church, Blair, NE.

VISITATION Wed. 3-9 pm, family to greet friends 3-6 pm at Spear-Johnson Funeral Home, Scribner. Memorials to St. John’s, St. Paul’s, NE Seminarian Loan & Grant Fund, Habitat for Humanity.

SPEAR-JOHNSON FUNERAL HOME Scribner, NE 402-664-2732

Pilot Tribune 3 Dec 2002

Rev. Dianne Picton, 62

Former Blair resident the Rev. Dianne Picton, 62, of Fremont, died Saturday, Nov. 30, 2002, at her home in Fremont.

Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5, at First Lutheran Church in Blair. Interment will be at St. John’s cemetery in rural Scribner. Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4, at Spear-Johnson Funeral home in Scribner, with the family receiving friends from 3 to 6 p.m.

Dianne Picton was born Aug. 8, 1940, in Bloomfield to Lyle and Marjorie (Cook) Schrader.

She graduated from Bloomfield High School in 1958, and attended Midland Lutheran College in Fremont for a short time before graduating in 1963 from Immanuel School of Nursing in Omaha. In 1964, she graduated with a bachelor of science degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She returned to Midland Lutheran College and earned an associate’s degree in religion in 1983. She earned a master’s of divinity from Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1994, and was ordained in November, 1994, at First Lutheran Church in Blair.

On May 26, 1963, she married Owen Picton at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Bloomfield.

The Rev. Picton served St. John’s Lutheran Church in rural Scribner and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Uehling for the past eight years. She had resigned in August, 2002, due to her health. She was active in the Nebraska Synod-Women in the Ministry Group. Her favorite hobby was quilting.

She is survived by her husband, Owen of Fremont; two sons and daughters-in-law, David and Cindy Picton of Blair, and Stephen and Kelly Picton of Brookfield, Ill.; a grandson; brother and sister-in-law, Dennis and Peggy Schrader of Bloomfield.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Memorials are suggested to St. John’s Lutheran Church (Scribner), St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (Uehling), Nebraska Seminarian Loan & Grant Fund or Habitat for Humanity.

Spear-Johnson Funeral Home in Scribner is in charge of arrangements.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~