Having just discovered a few years ago that I was born with autism ( Asperger Syndrome ) ... which was something no one really knew much about in the 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, and 1980's has always made " my childhood and adult life strange " to say the least ... my ability to deal with others as a child and as an Adult has always been hampered ... basically I was an Introvert .... not because I wanted to be .... but because I really didn't have a choice.

     Then ... it wasn't until about 1987, when I was 36 years old, that " autism " finally became a medical diagoses ... In 1988 the movie " Rain Main " came out exposing the serious side of autism.

     Even though the term is not used today " Asperger Syndrome " was previously used to describe a " Functioning " autistic person as opposed to the character played in the movie by Dustin Hoffman.

     Then ... it wasn't until 2017 when my oldest son Chris was in a hopital in Baltimore, MD in need of a Kidney and Liver transplant that I first learned of my " Asperger Syndrome " .... One of the doctors at the hospital, while I was in the room with Chris in Baltimore, was describing the transplant that Chris would be having and noted that he had to have this transplant within the next 2 or 3 weeks " or he wouldn't survive ".   We were also told at that time that Chris would be immediately placed on the list for a kidney and a liver but that the chances were very slim that he would be able to receive them in the time period... basically they were saying that my son was more than likely not going to get the organs he need in time to save his life ...   When the doctor was done he looked at me and motioned with his head for me to meet him in the hallway outside of the room.

     The doctor said, " Since you have Asperger Syndrome like me I thought you'd like me to explain the procedure for the operation in more detail for you. "   As he started to explain my mind was realing with two thoughts .... is my son going to survive and what is this Asperger Syndrome he's talking about

still stuck on the idea that he thought I was autistic but I was able to block the thought out and listened to what he was telling me !   When he got done I asked, " What makes you think I'm autistic ?"   He responded with, " Well of course you are. You didn't know that ? ... I can always tell another autistic person when I'm talking to them. "   I just thought he didn't know what he was talking about ....

     When I got home I started looking on the web for what the signs to autism were and read almost a complete discription of how I felt ....    About a month later I had a yearly physical with my family doctor who had been my doctor for the majority of my adult life.   I stated during the physical, " I think I'm autistic ! "   And he responded with, " Well of course you are ... You mean you didn't know that ? " and with a slight pause he said, " I just assumed you knew that. I knew it the first time we met years ago. "

     My parents, through no fault of their own, didn't understand their youngest son ... and why he acted the way that he did.   My best times during childhood were either when I was alone .... or with my extended family on holidays ... my grandparents, aunts, and uncles who seemed to always except me for the way I was .... ( of course they didn't have to live with me from day to day ).

     My parents ended up keeping a distance from me when I was little ... and not because I did anything wrong or rebellious as a child ... just because I was very quiet and somehow different.   What I needed most ... their love and affection ... they did not show toward their different child.   In fact they pulled away from me which eventually caused me as a child to feel that I was unwanted, unloved, and was basically on my own and that they simply supplied my meals and a roof over my head.

     Starting in the summer when I was about 10 years old I would, with a friend, ride my bike once or twice a week from Odessa to Delaware City on Route 9 which was a 13 mile trip one way, have a soda in a soda fountain, and ride home just to beat the loneliness of life.

     I've heard many other adults say how they wish they could just go back to being a child again .... I never understood that .... I'd rather die then go back to the loneliness and sadness I experienced as a child .... but somehow I made it to adulthood.

     I grew-up in the historic town of Odessa, Delaware where I attended Odessa Elementary School ( 1st thru 6th grade ).   And, due to my dad's insistence, for 7th grade I attended the all boys school St. Edmond's Academy north of Wilmington, Delaware.   I only went there for one year and experienced more loneliness and sadness and told my Dad that I didn't want to go back .... I then attended Middletown High School from 8th grade and graduated with the class of " 1969 ".   During high school I played on the football ( not knowing that my Dad and the Coach did not get along at all ) and wrestling teams.

     Growing up in Odessa added to my love of history !   As a young child I spent many hours walking and biking through the streets of Odessa and gained a love for older homes and there Architectural Designs.   When I found out at an early age that if you lived in Odessa you could tour the older homes that were museums for free I ended up spending many days and weekends going through the homes and fell in love with them.   My favorite was, like so many others, the " Corbit-Sharp House ".

     I went through the older homes so much that soon the ladies that were the guides would end up telling me, " You can just walk around the house by yourself and if you have any questions just come back and let us know. "   I had so many questiond that many times the tour guides would say, " We will have to ask someone else about that and then let you know. "   One of the ladies, Mrs. Haas, ended up telling me one day, " We have learned more about this house from your questions then we ever thought we would ! "

     Then at the age of 13, while I was at the Corbit-Sharp House one day, a bus load of senior citizens stop by for a tour.   Mrs. Haas looked at me and said, " Ok, you know as much about the house as we do so you're going to give some of these folks a tour. " which I did and also did other tours of the next few years when they were short on tour guides.

     I graduated from High School at the age of 17 ... attended a 3 month computer school in Wilmington, Delaware ... and, still 17 years old and a month before my 18th birthday, I was hired by the State of Delaware to work on computers .... Little did I know at that time that I'd work there for 35 years .... In the spring of 1971 I joined the U.S. Army Reserve and stayed in the reserved until 1979 where I served as a Supply Sergeant holding the final rank of Staff Sergeant.

     I've been married twice.

     I was first married to " Diane Sue Collison " on November 6, 1971 in St. Luke's Methodist Church in Denton, Maryland.   Diane was born on December 30, 1952 in Milford, Delaware and is the daughter of Albert Roland and Dorotha Lee Stubbs Collison of Greensboro, Maryland.   ( See the "Collison Family History" & "Stubbs Family History" )   Separation of this marriage took place with Diane leaving on July 13, 1991 and was ended by divorce on May 21, 1992 after 20 years.   Diane and I had two sons together, Christopher Pickett and Ryan Pickett and she is currently remarried and resides in rural Dover, Delaware.

     Way out of character, I then met and had a relationship with Ruth Elizabeth Hardy in September, 1991.   ( See the "Hardy Family History" )   This relationship produced twin daughters, Kayla Pickett and Kara Pickett.   Ruth "Ruthie" was born on August 27, 1970 in Kent General Hospital, Dover, De. the daughter of John Robert and Ruth Elizabeth Dean Hardy.   ( See the " Dean Family History " )   Ruthie had one child by a previous marriage to Bradley McReynolds, Eric Adam McReynolds.   She currently lives in rural Dover, De.

     In March, 1999 I met and started a relationship with " Karen Lorraine Hanshaw " of Rochester, New York.   This relationship continued with our engagement on July 16, 1999.   On August 19, 2000 Karen and I were married in the Hall of the Cheswold Volunteer Fire Company.   We recently celebrated our " 20th year of marriage " and she is still the " Love Of My Life ".

     Karen was born the daughter of Leo David and Nancy Bishop Hodge on March 25, 1959 in Rochester, New York.   Karen was previously married to Kevin Lynn Hanshaw and together they had two children, Kelli Hanshaw Truax ( See the " Truax Family History " ) and Kyle Hanshaw.

     I was been a bit actor in two movies.   The first being a PBS production titled " Lincoln and the War Within " and the second being " Glory " which stared " Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, and Morgan Freeman ".

     I was employed by the State of Delaware as a Computer Systems Analyst for the Delaware State Computer Center ( currently D.T. I. ) where I created the " first website " for the State Of Delaware using HTML Coding ( without any books or instuction ), created the first fully electronic voting system in the country, and during the election I was the " first person " to ever be interviewed live from the State of Delaware for any reason via satellite hookup.

     I later also worked with the DelDOT OIT Section from where I retired in January, 2005 after 35 years of service to the State of Delaware.   After retirement from the State I worked driving a front end loader Concrete Truck for " Pioneer Concrete " for four years and then worked as a transportation driver for " Westminister Village " for four years before retiring fulltime in December 7, 2014.

     I am also a life member of the " Cheswold Volunteer Fire Company " where I served in " firefighting, rescue, and as an E.M.T., and held the offices of Vice President, Ambulance Chief and Secretary ".   His other past volunteer work includes " Big Brother's of America " and coaching " Little League Baseball in the Dover, Delaware Little League for 8 years ".

     On April 3, 2002 I was ordained as a minister by the " United Christian Ministries International " a purely fundamental church organization.   At that time there were over " 100 " ordained ministers worldwide trying to spread the gospel using the Bible.   Today I'm the sole surviving member of this church.

     I currently spend my time on my computers working on four different projects:

I created and maintain my own website www.russpickett.com

I created and maintain "" 22 " family tree sites: www.russpickett.com

and on my website I'm busy daily working on my family trees ( the onAlong with this " Stout Family Tree " Russ ( 270 ) has also created " 21 " other "Family Tree" websites which can be viewed by "Clicking Here".   Other websites that he has created and maintains include a "Delaware and United States History" website, his Christian website "Faith Mountain".   He and Karen reside in rural Dover, Delaware.

     Russ (270) is currently working on his own website called "American who gave their all" by creating " personal bios to honor soldiers and sailors who died during World War II ".   To date ( 2019 ) he has created over "60,000" such bio's and completed the entire states of ( divided by counties ):

     Delaware  ~  Maine  ~  New Hampshire  ~  Vermont,  ~  Maryland,  ~  Wyoming   ~  and has completed some of New York.

Russ (270) and his wife Karen resided in Rural Dover, Delaware.

Children of Russell Pickett & Diane Collison:

350.  Christopher Scott Pickett  ~  b. March 13, 1976
351.  Ryan Mark Pickett  ~  b. February 3, 1979

Children of Russell Pickett & Ruth McReynolds:

352.  Kayla Grace Pickett  ~  b. June 27, 1992  ~  ( twin )
353.  Kara Virginia Pickett  ~  b. June 27, 1992  ~  ( twin ) -->

" Russ (270) & Matthew Broderick " On the Glory movie set!

" Russ (270) & nephew Gary Lee Ogden " On the Glory movie set!