Charles David Pickle

Charles “David” Pickle of Kamp Paddle Trails, Watts, Oklahoma, and Siloam Springs, Arkansas, passed away at the age of 79 on August 23, 2026, of a probable heart attack due to pneumonia. He passed under the shade of the oak trees at Kamp Paddle Trails as he would have wanted. David was the fifth child of Dr. John H. Pickle, Sr., and Katherine S. Brown Pickle, born in Siloam Springs on June 6, 1947. Ask around in Siloam in Arkansas or Adair County in Oklahoma—David was a force of nature. He was quick to anger and forgiveness. He was also the first to help without being asked. While somewhat wild in his youth, he matured into a humble, selfless individual who put the needs of others and God’s will first—a servant at heart. David had an engineer’s mind. He solved issues by determining how something worked and then narrowed down the problem by identifying what wasn’t working. He was a natural instructor and mentor to countless individuals across many careers: from managing the Kamp Paddle Trails work crew to a prison guard; as a construction foreman, truck driver, truck dispatcher, and Kamp director. He taught by demonstration—watch him, then do it…until you get it right. In the early 1980s, David left a lucrative construction foreman’s job in Houston to help at Kamp Paddle Trails and continued as the Pickle family’s Kamp director until the early 1990s. David continued the Pickle legacy by renting the Kamp Paddle Trails property to youth and church groups for an additional 20-plus years while keeping the Kamp property looking like a combined golf course and nature preserve until the day he passed. David and his wife, Donna, were well known in Siloam Springs, the state of Arkansas, and the wider world for their 25 years of active leadership in Odyssey of the Mind, where they both taught students to develop and use their natural creativity to become problem-solvers. They also judged local, state, and international competitions. David was extremely active is his home-away-from-home, the First Baptist Church of Siloam Springs. There, he served as a Trustee, bus driver, maintenance support, and all-around volunteer. There isn’t a part of the FBC equipment and facilities that David hasn’t replaced or repaired. David was a staunch Republican and was willing to listen and knowledgably debate about current events without judgement. He was extremely active in the Adair County GOP, with the Adair County Republicans, the Illinois River Scenic River Commission, and with Adair County voting. David was an avid sports fan and he loved watching all sports, especially football. He supported all the area teams but he was a devoted lifelong Arkansas Razorbacks fan. While David was never blessed with children, he was first to welcome new babies into his extended family. It was understood among the Pickle family that David expected to hold family newborns as soon as possible. He greatly loved the generations of his nieces and nephews, exactly as they are. After Donna, his wife of 51 years, passed in 2024, David rekindled a high school flirtation. Sandra brought smiles, joy, laughter, and David’s mischievous streak back for the past two years. David is survived by his seven siblings and their spouses, Pat Wolf of Harrison, AR, John H. Pickle, Jr., of Madison, WI, Stewart Pickle, Siloam Springs, Ken Pickle, Edmonds, WA, Kathy Turner, Siloam Springs, Sharon Semtner, Konawa, OK, and Jim Pickle, Tontitown, AR, along with 18 beloved nieces and nephews, many more great-nieces and -nephews, and great-grandnieces and -nephews, cousins of many generations, David and Donna’s two dogs, Jake and Nikita, and Donna’s last surviving five-gaited award-winning Saddlebred horse, Jessie. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Donna, niece Zara Turner and great-niece Katelin Reading. A public viewing for David will be held in the Wasson Funeral Home Chapel, 441 Hwy 412 W., Siloam Springs, Arkansas, on Saturday, August 29, 2026, from 1:00pm to 8:00 p.m. David’s wishes were to be cremated and buried under the flagpole at Kamp Paddle Trails. A Celebration of David’s Life will be on Saturday, September 12, at 10:30 am - 12:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 2000 Dawn Hill Rd, Siloam Springs, Arkansas, 72761 In lieu of flowers, please consider a loving donation in David’s name to the Siloam Springs Odyssey of the Mind organization: Siloam Springs Creative of Alliance C/O Chanell Ramos 1307 E Courage Siloam Springs, AR 72761 Donations may also be made by check to Generations Bank, Siloam Springs Siloam Springs Creative Alliance Acct 7502446 Or CashApp: $SSCA72761

Charles David Pickle

June 6, 1947 - August 23, 2026