Former Garfield County district judge and 1961 OCU LAW alumnus Richard Pickens died Sunday, June 28, after a brief illness. He was 79.

Pickens served as Garfield County district judge from 1981-1982, as presiding judge for the northwest judicial administrative district from 1982-1984 and again from 1991-1992. He was a member of the court on the judiciary trial division from 1987-1991 and was appointed by Oklahoma Governors Henry Bellmon and David Walters to the court of tax review. He served on that court from 1989-1992. 

Judge Pickens graduated from Enid High School in 1947 and attended Phillips University. Before attending OCU LAW he was manager of Long Bell Lumber Co. in Enid from 1950-1955. He served as Harper County assistant district attorney from 1967-1969 and as associate district judge in Harper County. He also was a former member of the Enid Police Civil Service Commission. He was a member of the board of trustees of Great Salt Plains Council for Boy Scouts of America, Enid Rotary Club, former member of Grand National Quail Hunt Board of Directors and a past president of Grand National Quail Club. He was named OCU LAW Distinguished Law Alumnus in 1992.

The Enid News and Eagle featured a story on Judge Pickens’ passing. It is available on their website.