Obituary of Judge P. Oliver

Judge Pickett Oliver was born April 18, 1933 in New Bern, North Carolina to George and Emma Katie (Williams) Oliver. He was the youngest of three sons. He moved to Brooklyn, New York in June of 1949 where he graduated from Boys' High School in 1951. He entered the U.S. Navy in August 1958 and retired as a Senior Chief Radioman in January 1975. He met his wife Thelma Fox in August 1956 and they were engaged three weeks later. They married three months later on December 1956. From this union of 42 years, they had two sons, Joseph and Andrew, and one daughter, Thelma E. In New Bern, Judge was a member of St. Peters AME Zion Church but also attended and participated in everything at Guildfield Baptist Church which was directly across the street from where he lived. In 1953, he was baptized at Bethel Church of God in Brooklyn. While in the military, he always sought out and joined a church wherever he was stationed. After retiring from the Navy, he lived in Cheltenham, Maryland. In 1981, he was ordained a Deacon. At that time, he was a member of Greater Light Missionary Baptist Church in Capitol Heights, MD. After retiring from the military, Judge worked for NASA at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD as a Communications Engineer where he received many honors and awards. He also received an award from the German government while working for NASA. He retired from NASA in 1992 and moved with his wife to Powhatan, VA where he became a member at Mt. Pero Baptist Church. While there, he served as a Deacon, Sunday School Superintendent, Chairman of the Finance Committee, and Church Sexton. He leaves to cherish fond memories, three children, Joseph Sr. (Iris), Andrew (Carlette), and Thelma; four grandchildren, Joseph Jr., Kelly, Brittany, and Kyle; five sisters-in-law, Evalina Fox, Bessie Capers, Ruth Oliver, Hester Myers, and Ella Fox; two brothers-in-law, John H. Fox and Robert Capers; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.