Born in Lancaster, Ohio, in 1931, Dr. Pickering moved to Cincinnati to live with an uncle and aunt after his mother died when he was in middle school. He graduated from Walnut Hills High School, the University of Cincinnati and UC's College of Medicine. An ROTC member, he went straight from medical school into the Air Force.

"He was extremely smart," said his sister, Catherine Pickering Bush of Kettering, Ohio. "He was a multi-tasker. He sort of had a photographic memory. He could read a book and watch a television show and tell you everything he was doing at the same time."

His love of flying led him to choose the Air Force. He became a flight surgeon and logged more than 2,400 hours of flying time in more than 50 different aircraft. He worked with NASA as a medical monitor in the Canary Islands on Project Mercury, which culminated in astronaut Gordon Cooper's 34-hour orbital mission on May 15-16, 1963.

Dr. Pickering was named 1978 Pacific Air Force Flight Surgeon of the Year and received the Air Force Legion of Merit for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.

He retired from the Air Force in 1993. Dr. Pickering also spent 10 years in private practice in King City, Calif., and was an associate clinical professor at the Stanford University College of Medicine.

He moved to Chandler in 1986.

In addition to his sister, Catherine, survivors include his son, Lloyd "Sam" Pickering of Nice, Calif.; two daughters, Tara Pickering Rodoni of Carson City, Nev., and Kay Haney of Corydon, Ind.; two brothers, Peter of Sharonville and Wesley of Florida; his stepmother, Wilma Jean Pickering of Parkersburg, W.Va.; his former wife, Dianne Lynn Osberg, who was by his side throughout his illness, and seven grandchildren.

Military graveside services are 2 p.m. Oct. 24 at Green Mound Cemetery in Lancaster. Memorials: Arizona Humane Society, 1521 W. Dobbins Road, Phoenix, AZ 85041.

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