Joanie Marie Eckley Wilson Pickett Kralic Rada

The Lord has finished perfecting one of His chosen. Joanie Marie Eckley Wilson Pickett Kralic Rada crossed over on Thursday, April 3rd, surrounded by family and loved ones after a sudden and unexpected illness.

Joanie was born to Lula Christine and Walter "Bugs" Eckley on August 20th 1944, while her father was in the Pacific fighting in WW2 with the U.S. Navy. She and her family remained in Jefferson County throughout her childhood, where she graduated 8th grade from The Clancy School and from Jefferson High School, where she was president of the 1962 graduating class.

Joanie married Mike Wilson and had a daughter Valerie Wilson. Joanie later married Robert Pickett and had a son William Pickett and welcomed Leonard, Lorrie, Bob, and Lynette Pickett as her children. Joanie married Ralph Kralic and counted Jim Kralic as another one of her sons. Finally, Joanie found her lifelong soul mate in Lester (Corky) Rada and married for the last time on November 10, 1989. Two additional sons, Blaine and Wayne Rada were brought into her lifelong family. She sometimes joked, "The men may come and go, but the kids are forever".

Joanie worked for Eddie's Bakery, owned Bob's Capital Standard, and finally joined the IRS, where she eventually retired. Joanie continued as a bookkeeper for over a decade for several Helena businesses.

Joanie set down the "barley corn" one last time in 1993 and made it her life mission to help others break the chains of addiction. She worked tirelessly in this endeavor, all the way up to two days before her passing. As her body allowed, she drove herself every Monday to facilitate a Celebrate Recovery group at the Elkhorn Treatment Center in Boulder from Saint Patrick's Day 2008 up to and including Monday, March 31st of this week.

Joanie is preceded in death by her parents, sister Diane "Diney" Eckley, and stepdaughter Lynette (Pickett) Chadwick.

Joanie is survived by her children Leonard Pickett, Lorrie Gazloff, Bob Pickett, Val Wilson, Will Pickett, Jim Kralic, Blaine Rada, and Wayne Rada. And enough grandchildren and great-grandchildren to fill a school bus.

Services were held Monday, April 7th, at the Kleffner Ranch at 11:00am.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Sons and Daughters of Montana Pioneers or Hope Center Ministries.