Fred M. Pickens Jr. of Newport (Jackson County), a lawyer and banker who helped shape Arkansas business, politics and education for more than 40 years, died Saturday at his home.

Pickens, 77, died of a stroke, a family spokesman said Sunday. He had been in poor health since April.

Pickens was a senior partner in the Newport law firm of Pickens, Boyce, McLarty and Watson and was a director and general counsel for the Merchants and Planters Bank of Newport.

Politically, he was a staunch and powerful Democrat in a staunchly Democratic part of the state, and he was a friend, confidant, fund raiser and adviser for Democratic governors from Sidney S. McMath to Bill Clinton.

He was the only Arkansan ever to serve as chairman of the boards of trustees of both Arkansas State College (now University) and the University of Arkansas. He served actively on the latter board from 1955 through 1976, the last five years as chairman, and was a trustee emeritus at the time of his death.

McMath appointed Pickens to the Arkansas State College board of trustees in 1951, and then Gov. Orval E. Faubus named him to the University of Arkansas board in 1955.

Pickens was the Arkansas presidential campaign manager for Adlai Stevenson in 1956, and was a member of every Democratic National Convention delegation from 1952 through 1968.

In a telephone interview Sunday, Faubus remembered Pickens as a loyal Democrat and an adviser who wasn't timid about speaking his mind.

"He was one of the most forthright men I ever knew," Faubus said. "He was a loyal party man, but he was never a sycophant or a yes-man. My relationship with him was always one of affection and respect."

McMath called Pickens "a lawyer's lawyer" whose courtly demeanor belied a keen legal mind and a love of verbal combat.

"He was an excellent trial lawyer," McMath said, "whether he was litigating a complicated banking issue or arguing over the ownership of a mule. He gave every case, big or small, the best that he had."

Although he was prominent as a lawyer and political figure, Pickens probably was best known as a champion for the University of Arkansas during his 21-year tenure on its board of trustees.

McMath said Sunday that "I think Fred's ardent and enlightened efforts on behalf of the University of Arkansas will be his lasting legacy."

A year after he retired from active service on the board, Pickens received an honorary doctor of laws degree from the university in 1977.

Fred Maxfield Pickens Jr. was born Aug. 1, 1916, in Evening Shade (Sharp County), son of the late Fred M. Pickens Sr. and the late Clara Gray Pickens. When he was 2 years old, his family moved to Newport, where the elder Pickens practiced law and was one of the founders of the Merchants and Planters Bank.

Young Fred Pickens Jr. attended the Newport Public Schools and graduated from Newport High School in 1933. He attended Hendrix College at Conway for three years before entering the University of Arkansas Law School at Fayetteville, where he graduated with highest honors in 1939.

In that same year, Pickens entered his father's law firm at Newport, and practiced law there until enlisting as a private in the Army in June 1941.

In the fall of 1941, Pickens transferred to the Navy, where he served throughout World War II, winning a Bronze Star for heroism while a gunnery officer aboard the light cruiser Boise during the battle of Surigao Straits in the Philippine Islands. He was discharged in 1946 as a naval lieutenant.

After the war, Pickens returned to Newport and the family law firm. He also served for a time as Newport's city attorney, and as a deputy prosecuting attorney for the 3rd Judicial District. He became active in Democratic Party politics, and served for more than 30 years on the Jackson County and Arkansas state Democratic committees.

In addition to being a director of the Merchants and Planters Bank, Pickens was the general counsel for the Bank of Tuckerman (Jackson County), and was the first chairman of the Arkansas Bankers Association's Directors' Advisory Committee. He was also a member of the faculty of the National Assembly of Bank Directors. He was a member of the National Advisory Board of Commercial National Bank of Little Rock.

He was a member of the Arkansas and American bar associations, and in 1977 received the Outstanding Lawyer award from the Arkansas Bar Association and Arkansas Bar Foundation. He was a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and of the American College of Probate Counsel.

Pickens served as president of the Arkansas Community Foundation and as vice chairman and director of the University of Arkansas Foundation.

He was a member and past Senior Warden of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Newport, and was a past president of the Episcopal Churchmen of Arkansas.

He is survived by his wife, Eran Bartley Pickens; a daughter, Eran P. West of Fort Worth, Tex.; a sister, Mrs. Herbert L. Thomas Jr. of Little Rock; four grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

January 3, 1994 | Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock, AR)
Contributor: Michael (49749450)

Fred M. Pickens Jr. of Newport (Jackson County), a lawyer and banker who helped shape Arkansas business, politics and education for more than 40 years, died Saturday at his home.

Pickens, 77, died of a stroke, a family spokesman said Sunday. He had been in poor health since April.

Pickens was a senior partner in the Newport law firm of Pickens, Boyce, McLarty and Watson and was a director and general counsel for the Merchants and Planters Bank of Newport.

Politically, he was a staunch and powerful Democrat in a staunchly Democratic part of the state, and he was a friend, confidant, fund raiser and adviser for Democratic governors from Sidney S. McMath to Bill Clinton.

He was the only Arkansan ever to serve as chairman of the boards of trustees of both Arkansas State College (now University) and the University of Arkansas. He served actively on the latter board from 1955 through 1976, the last five years as chairman, and was a trustee emeritus at the time of his death.

McMath appointed Pickens to the Arkansas State College board of trustees in 1951, and then Gov. Orval E. Faubus named him to the University of Arkansas board in 1955.

Pickens was the Arkansas presidential campaign manager for Adlai Stevenson in 1956, and was a member of every Democratic National Convention delegation from 1952 through 1968.

In a telephone interview Sunday, Faubus remembered Pickens as a loyal Democrat and an adviser who wasn't timid about speaking his mind.

"He was one of the most forthright men I ever knew," Faubus said. "He was a loyal party man, but he was never a sycophant or a yes-man. My relationship with him was always one of affection and respect."

McMath called Pickens "a lawyer's lawyer" whose courtly demeanor belied a keen legal mind and a love of verbal combat.

"He was an excellent trial lawyer," McMath said, "whether he was litigating a complicated banking issue or arguing over the ownership of a mule. He gave every case, big or small, the best that he had."

Although he was prominent as a lawyer and political figure, Pickens probably was best known as a champion for the University of Arkansas during his 21-year tenure on its board of trustees.

McMath said Sunday that "I think Fred's ardent and enlightened efforts on behalf of the University of Arkansas will be his lasting legacy."

A year after he retired from active service on the board, Pickens received an honorary doctor of laws degree from the university in 1977.

Fred Maxfield Pickens Jr. was born Aug. 1, 1916, in Evening Shade (Sharp County), son of the late Fred M. Pickens Sr. and the late Clara Gray Pickens. When he was 2 years old, his family moved to Newport, where the elder Pickens practiced law and was one of the founders of the Merchants and Planters Bank.

Young Fred Pickens Jr. attended the Newport Public Schools and graduated from Newport High School in 1933. He attended Hendrix College at Conway for three years before entering the University of Arkansas Law School at Fayetteville, where he graduated with highest honors in 1939.

In that same year, Pickens entered his father's law firm at Newport, and practiced law there until enlisting as a private in the Army in June 1941.

In the fall of 1941, Pickens transferred to the Navy, where he served throughout World War II, winning a Bronze Star for heroism while a gunnery officer aboard the light cruiser Boise during the battle of Surigao Straits in the Philippine Islands. He was discharged in 1946 as a naval lieutenant.

After the war, Pickens returned to Newport and the family law firm. He also served for a time as Newport's city attorney, and as a deputy prosecuting attorney for the 3rd Judicial District. He became active in Democratic Party politics, and served for more than 30 years on the Jackson County and Arkansas state Democratic committees.

In addition to being a director of the Merchants and Planters Bank, Pickens was the general counsel for the Bank of Tuckerman (Jackson County), and was the first chairman of the Arkansas Bankers Association's Directors' Advisory Committee. He was also a member of the faculty of the National Assembly of Bank Directors. He was a member of the National Advisory Board of Commercial National Bank of Little Rock.

He was a member of the Arkansas and American bar associations, and in 1977 received the Outstanding Lawyer award from the Arkansas Bar Association and Arkansas Bar Foundation. He was a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and of the American College of Probate Counsel.

Pickens served as president of the Arkansas Community Foundation and as vice chairman and director of the University of Arkansas Foundation.

He was a member and past Senior Warden of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Newport, and was a past president of the Episcopal Churchmen of Arkansas.

He is survived by his wife, Eran Bartley Pickens; a daughter, Eran P. West of Fort Worth, Tex.; a sister, Mrs. Herbert L. Thomas Jr. of Little Rock; four grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

January 3, 1994 | Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock, AR)
Contributor: Michael (49749450)