Dorothy Pickman

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Dorothy was deeply proud to be a nurse, and that calling remained at the heart of her life’s work.

Dorothy J. Pickman, of Atchison, KS, passed peacefully on October 1, 2026, surrounded by her family. She celebrated her 90th birthday just last month on August 23rd. She was born in Horton, Kansas, the daughter of Arnold and Catherine (Pauly) Blasi. She attended Sacred Heart Elementary School, graduated from Mount St. Scholastica Academy, and went on to earn her BSN from St. Mary’s Hospital School of Nursing. She married Robert “Bob” Pickman on January 18, 1958, at Sacred Heart Church in Atchison. Their marriage prompted an eighteen inch snow storm, but they weathered all of life’s storms for fifty-seven years until Bob’s passing on April 24, 2015.

She was deeply proud to be a nurse, and that calling remained at the heart of her life’s work. Dorothy served as a full-time nurse at Atchison Hospital for forty years and also worked alongside numerous doctors in their private practices. Even after retirement, her commitment to nursing continued as she taught in the nursing department at Highland College Technical School.

She was a member of St. Benedict Parish and enjoyed serving on the funeral dinner committee and volunteering at the Sacred Heart Thrift Store. She belonged to numerous organizations including Kansas State Nursing Association, American Nurses Association, Association of Operating Nurses and the Atchison Hospital Auxiliary.

Dorothy’s proudest accomplishments were nursing and her family, and both reflected the same generous spirit. She found joy in baking, sewing, and reading, and she was known for providing care of any kind to anyone in need. Whether through her profession, her home, or her daily acts of kindness, she gave of herself with warmth and purpose.

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Whether through her profession, her home, or her daily acts of kindness, she gave of herself with warmth and purpose.

She is survived by her children, Jeanne (Mike) Jones, Mary Anne Strasburg, Roberta (Gary) Carter, Geri (Mick) Harris, Julie (Brian) Fowler, Pat (Kathleen) Pickman. She is also survived by her sister, Mary Kokias, and her brothers, Kenny Blasi, Frank Enzbrenner and Joe Blasi. Her family was a central part of her life and she was blessed with twenty-one grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her brothers, John Enzbrenner and Harold Enzbrenner, and by her granddaughter, Jentri Fowler.

All of Dorothy’s services will be on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at St. Joseph Church in Atchison. A rosary will begin at 9:30 am, followed by visitation with the family and Mass of Christian burial to begin at 11:00 am. Burial will follow in Mt. Calvary Cemetery. A lunch will follow the burial at St. Joseph Church lower level for all to attend. Memorials are suggested to St. Benedict Parish or Maur Hill-Mount Academy in care of the Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home.