Saundra Delores Pickens made her transition to heaven the afternoon of October 17, 2024 at her home.

Saundra was born May 16, 1939 to parents Saul and Helen Stalworth in Cincinnati, Ohio. The oldest of six children.  Her family later moved to Detroit, Michigan where she was raised and educated. It was there that she met her late husband Hiawatha Pickens at the age of 18. They married and welcomed their first-born children, twins, Tajuana and Tanya. Years later she and her husband welcomed two more children, sons Jerome and Kenneth. From that union they also had 6 grandchildren: Matthew, Ricardo, Marquita, Monet, Vianca, and Matisse and 4 Great Grandchildren: Damir (Ricardo) Sevyn (Ricardo) Eric (Marquita) and Shaniyah (Marquita). Saundra was a military wife as her husband was in the Airforce which allowed her to travel and reside in many parts of the world with her family such as Germany, England, Nebraska, Georgia, and finally settling in Maryland where her husband retired from his Airforce career.

Saundra was an extremely loving and devoted mother and grandmother and “Gigi” to her great grandchildren. She had an amazing sense of humor and loved to laugh. She was able to find joy and hope in the darkest of circumstances and always credited every blessing in her life to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She was an amazing cook. She loved good food and enjoyed spending time with her family and friends around a good meal. She was very fun-loving and a stickler for good manners and being respectful. She loved good music and to dance. She was a hopeless romantic and enjoyed watching sappy movies on repeat such as The Notebook and The Phantom Of The Opera on repeat. She loved to travel and often took trips whether by plane or car to different parts of the country and world. She had a smile and joy that could light up any room. Her love and presence are greatly missed by many.

Her lifelong dream from a teenager was to be a nurse as she always had a heart to serve and care for others. Shortly after retiring from the Federal Government, she worked alongside her best friend Arthurhetta (Rhetta) at a nursing school called the Harrison Center. She served on the nurse’s ministry at her home church Shiloh for many years and worked with the youth there as well. Saundra believed age was only a number and liked to keep herself busy and her mind sharp so she obtained her life insurance license in the state of Maryland at the age of 78 and joined her granddaughter Marquita and grandson-in law Sean in business and worked for them for the last 7 years before her passing as their assistant. She taught exam prep courses to aspiring agents there as well. All of the clients and agents from the agency affectionally called her “Miss Saundra”.

Saundra professed her faith in Jesus Christ at a young age and always credited all of her blessings and long life she was able to live to His faithfulness to her. Saundra was what the bible calls a “living epistle”. She did not go around quoting bible verses to anyone but she lived everyday through her love and kindness to the others the Word of God that was hidden in her heart.