Ronald Brent Pickering

Ronald Brent Pickering, 79, of Springville, passed away Sunday, March 6, 2022. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Jay Willard Pickering and Alma Jewell Hedgepeth Pickering on May 25, 1942. He married Dorothy Elaine Witherell on December 19, 1969, in the St. George LDS Temple.

Brent was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where he served as a missionary in the Central British Mission. He graduated with a Master’s Degree from BYU. He completed his graduate work and undergraduate work in dramatic arts. He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War from 1967 to 1969 in Korea as an Ammunition Specialist/Company Clerk, MP. He met Dorothy Elaine Witherell at BYU in September of 1969 when he was finishing his Master’s Degree. He then whisked Dorothy away to Laie, Oahu, Hawaii, in June of 1970. Brent became the Director of Theatre and Developmental Speech at Church College of Hawaii/Brigham Young University-Hawaii until 1979 when he moved his family to Springville, Utah, where they continued to live and raise their family.

Brent was a man of many talents, that especially of drama and his creative eye. While in Hawaii, Brent expanded his passion for creating parade floats to include fresh flowered floats for Kamehameha Day and Aloha Day parades. He took pride and time in the many floats he made for various cities and organizations. He received many prestigious awards throughout his career in the float business. The award he was most proud of was his design for the city of Sierra Madre, which won The Princesses Award for the Pasadena Rose Parade in 2008 for the most beautiful entry 35 feet and under. After moving to Springville, Utah, he created his own parade float business which was Floats by Brent. While maintaining his float business, he also managed to direct over a hundred productions between BYU-Hawaii, and community theatres in Springville and Payson, Utah. And when he wasn’t working on floats or directing theatre, he enjoyed bringing candy to life, whether it be miniature carnivals or Santa’s North Pole Retreat. His grandchildren were always mesmerized by his train display spanning over two rooms in the downstairs of his home.

He is survived by his wife Dorothy Elaine Pickering of Springville, Utah, and his brother Sherman Paul (Chris) Pickering of Sandy, Utah. He is also survived by his six children. Catina LeeAnn (Ryan) Nichols of Etna, Wyoming; Julie Ann (Shaun) McCormick of American Fork, Utah; Robert Jay (Kristi) Pickering of Draper, Utah; Kristen Julie (Matt) Streadbeck of Texas; Emily Esther Blink of Clever, Missouri; Andrew (BrynLee) Pickering of Springville, Utah; 28 grandchildren; and 12 (almost 13) great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, Jay and Jewell, his brother Gary, his son Ronald Brent Pickering Jr., daughter Meilani Ann Pickering, and son Paul Michael Pickering.

Funeral services will be held Friday, March 11, 2022, at 11 a.m. at Wheeler Mortuary located at 211 East 200 South, Springville, Utah, 84663. A viewing for friends and family will be held prior to the service from 9 to 10:30 a.m. also at Wheeler Mortuary. Burial will be in the Springville Historical Cemetery with military honors by the American Legion.

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