Ella W. Pickett

On October 19th, 2018, Ella, 78, transitioned to her reward on Friday, October 19, 2018 at Hospice of Northwest Ohio. She was preceded in death by her parents, Betty and Roosevelt Briggs Sr, her twin brother Jesse Lee, sister, Margret Wright, sister, Ethel Burke, brother, Roosevelt Sr., brother, Benjamin Frank, daughter, Laura Jean, grandson, Jospeh Jr., great-granddaughters, Naja Pickett, Bela Cathcart and Amaris Mahan. Ella was born in Mobile, Alabama but grew up in Helena, Arkansas. She attended West Side Elementary and Eliza Miller High School. After confessing Christ at an early age, Ella loved singing so much, that at the age of 9, she ran in and out of churches trying to sing, but they would put her out because she was too young to sing in the adult choirs. As time went on, Ella met and soon married her husband, Otha Jr., on August 21st, 1954. From this union, came ten children.Ella and Otha moved to Toledo in the early 60s where she continued her gospel singing career. After working several jobs, she eventually found stable employment with the Board of Education, Toledo Public Schools. Ella had an illustrious solo career, but did join the Queens of Harmony and the Newsom Family Singers for a while. She is survived by her husband, Otha Pickett, brothers Roy Briggs, Willie Briggs (Gloria), sisters, Shirley Oliver and Betty Kincade (Robert), daughters, Alice Cathcart (Dennis), Othella, LeRoy (Regina), Margret Ellis Pickett, Cladette (Robert) Parker, a set of triplets which are Kathy (Tony) King, Karen Jones, Kalvin (Linda) Pickett, Joseph (Jody) Pickett, Joyce Houston. Ella Picketts performances have taken her to various cities for guest appearances and concert performances. Her performances include not only churches, but festivals, banquets, community colleges and universities, and numerous television appearances on Toledo Sings Gospel that aired on WTVG Channel 13 between 1990 and 2001. She was especially blessed to have had two appearances on Bobby Jones Gospel, in Nashville, TN. Her singing career had allowed her to produce two gospel recordings, on the Shurfine Gospel Record Label. The first was entitled How sweet the Sound with her nephew, Rev. Will Collier and the second, A Still Small Voice with her family Ella Pickett and the Gospel Ensemble. Many of the songs on the second recording were written by her son and daughter-in-law, Leroy and Regina Pickett. Ella was widely known for her Gospel performances during the Gospel Explosions at Portside Toledo during the 1990s. She was also invited to perform at several political rallys for Mayoral candidates, Donna Owens, Jack Ford and Carleton Carty S. Finkbeiner. Some of the events that Ella shared her gospel talent included singing at Convalescent nursing homes, Feed the Children Event at Belle Isle in Detroit, MI, Black Swamp Arts Festival in Bowling Green and Fremont, OH, a former member of the Toledo Quartet Musical Association, several Old Ship of Zion Programs, Performed at Nash Park for Jean Overton, New Years Eve First Night Toledo at St. Paul Episcopal, Performed at the Cherry Street Mission in Downtown Toledo, Performed at Scott High School for NAACP, A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste Fund Raiser Rally, performed at the Swing into Spring Events at the Holiday French Quarter in Perrysburg, OH. She was chosen to sing at many weddings, birthday parties and home goings. She also performed at the Tent City Events on the grounds of the Courthouse. She Touched the lives of many prisoners, which was evident through the letters Ella received from those incarcerated at the Lucas County Jail. She won a recording contract from the Grand Old Opry in Nashville. Gill Asphalt also offered to further her singing career by sponsoring her a recording contract, which meant she would have to travel throughout the country, but Ella Chose to stay home and raise her children. Viewing and a musical tribute will be held on Thursday, October 25, 2018 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at St. Mark Baptist Church, 2340 N. Holland-Sylvania Rd, Toledo, OH. Services will be held Friday, October 26, 2018 with the family hour starting at 11:00 a.m. and home going services starting at Noon, also at the church with Pastor C.L. Johnson, officiating. Arrangements were entrusted to Blanchard-Strabler Funeral Home, Toledo, OH (419-269-1111)