Andrew Lewis Pickens, 81, of Jackson, passed away on Friday, March 27, 2015 at Southern Hills Hospital in Nashville.

He was a retired electrical maintenance engineer and a former instructor for Newbern Vo-Tech. Mr. Pickens served 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, retiring with the rank of Master Sergeant and was a member of Gruetli-Laager, TN Baptist Church.

Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Dyer County Memorial Gardens with Mr. Luke Willard officiating. Dyersburg Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

The family will receive visitors from 12-1:45 p.m. Saturday at Dyersburg Funeral Home.

Survivors include his three sons, Andrew Lewis Pickens, Jr. and wife, Marcia, of Nashville, Jerry Wayne Pickens of Dyersburg and Richard Lloyd Pickens and wife, Kathy, of Harrison; four sisters, Pamelia Neal and Mary Nell Chisholm, both of Ripley, Emma Sue Panicali of Humboldt and Jane Rye of Memphis; two brothers, Jimmy Pickens of Humboldt and Bobby Ray Pickens of Jackson; six grandchildren; and eleven great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Peggy Pickens; and his parents, Iven and Nettie Dennison Pickens.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be directed to Alzheimer's Foundation, 322 Eight Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001 or to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, 2200 Childrens Way, Nashville, TN 37232.