Deacon Ernest F. Picknally, 80, who served at St. Stephen Church in Pennsauken, died March 18.
Born in Elizabeth, N.J., on Jan. 10, 1933, to Ernest and Agnes (nee Kobetitsch) Picknally, he grew up in East Orange and graduated from East Orange High School in 1950. He studied at Rutgers in New Brunswick and served as U.S. Naval Hospital Corpsman (USNR-HM). He graduated from Rutgers-Camden Law School, and was admitted to the bar in 1961.
He was president of Camden Catholic High School, Cherry Hill, Fathers’ Club for more than 20 years, and was honored as the school’s Man of the Year and Honorary Alumnus, and inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008.
He was ordained a permanent deacon in the Diocese of Camden in 1997 and assigned to St. Stephen’s Church, Pennsauken. He was previously active at St. Peter’s Church, Merchantville, in many service roles.
As a deacon he served on the Tribunal, the diocesan archive project and assisted in assigning mentors for men in diaconate formation. He also assisted parishes to administer the FOCCUS assessment for couples preparing for marriage.
Deacon Leo McBlain, director of the Permanent Diaconate for the Diocese of Camden, said Deacon Picknally was “dedicated and competent in everything that he undertook and is remembered for his quiet and friendly manner to all.”
Deacon Picknally was married almost 60 years to his Lois (nee Snyder), and was father of Ruth Uschold (Thomas), Ernest Jr. (Janice Bucci), Frederick (Elyn Detofsky), Beth Camden (Dorman), Janet Arzooman (Paul), Peter, Irene, John Gabriel (Maria Caliva); grandfather of 10; and great-grandfather of five.
Visitation will be held on Friday, March 22, 6-9 p.m., and Saturday, March 23, 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the Falco/Caruso and Leonard Pennsauken Funeral Home, 6600 N. Browning Road. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Church of St. Stephen, Pennsauken. Interment will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Cherry Hill.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Camden Catholic High School, or St. Stephen Church.
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