Johnnie Ruth (Pickren) Nalls

Mrs. Johnnie Ruth Pickren Nalls, 90, of Tifton, GA passed away on Friday, May 7, 2021 at her
residence.
Funeral services will be held Monday, May 10, 2021, at 2:00 PM in the Memorial Chapel of First
Baptist Church of Tifton with Dr. Wayne Roe and Rev. Mark Myers officiating. Interment will
follow in Oakridge Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 12:30 to 1:30 PM in the
Memorial Chapel of First Baptist Church of Tifton before the service.

Roger Nalls, Jr., Jason Culpepper, Page Brooks, Christopher Nalls, Nathan Potts, Luke Nalls, Jason B. Culpepper and Josiah Brooks will serve as pallbearers.

Mrs. Nalls was born September 29, 1930, in Miller County to the late Drew Thomas Pickren
and Blonnie Nix Pickren. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband
of sixty-six years, Emmett Lester Nalls, sisters Ellen Diane Pickren and Shirley Joy Gordon,
brother Max Pickren, grandson-in-law, Brad Smith, and great-grandson, Samuel Culpepper.

Johnnie Ruth was known and respected by all as a woman of faith and the epitome of a
Southern lady. She was known by her sons as loving, caring, gracious, understanding and
generous. To her family she was a pillar of strength, a natural leader with a servant’s heart. As
the first female vice president of a male dominated industry, her granddaughters and great
granddaughters view her as a pioneer who paved the way for women of future generations.

In 1995, Mrs. Nalls retired from First Community Bank of Tifton after 40 years. She graduated
from Miller County High School and later attended Abraham Baldwin Agricultural School where
she acquired degrees from Georgia Banking School in Athens and Bank Administration School
of Operations in Wisconsin in 1985. Leadership and involvement have always been priority with
Johnnie Ruth. She held membership and offices in many business and professional
organizations, both locally and statewide. She served as a member of the Tifton-Tift County
Chamber of Commerce, Baldwin Women’s club, and held various offices within the National
Association of Banking Women including President of the Georgia state chapter. She also
served as the Chairman of Women’s Committee of Georgia Bankers Association in 1977, and
held the office of President of South Georgia Chapter of the former American Institution of
Banking, now known as the American Bankers Association, whose purpose was to provide
specialized education and training for the banking industry.

Johnnie Ruth is survived by sons Roger (Linda) Nalls, Craig (Terri) Nalls, her grandchildren,
Roger (Moni) Nalls, Erika (Jason) Culpepper, Ashley (Page) Brooks, Christopher (Katie) Nalls,
and Rebekah Nalls and her great grandchildren Nick, Nathan, and Brandon Potts, Luke Nalls,
Anyston Lyon, Karis Brooks, Jason Culpepper, Abigail Nalls, Alethia Brooks, Olivia Nalls, Emma
Claire Nalls, Josiah Brooks, Daniel Nalls, and Kinsey Culpepper.

Johnnie Ruth loved baking and cooking for her family. She was well known for her delicious
eleven layer cakes and her buttermilk biscuits. She was an avid reader and a beautiful
seamstress. She loved board games with her grandchildren, and was a formidable opponent in
cards. She enjoyed traveling with her late husband, Lester, and spending time in her flower
garden. She will be deeply missed by her friends, family, and all who knew her.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to First Baptist Church of Tifton, The International
Mission Board online - https://www.imb.org or The Restoration Initiative for Culture and Community online -
https://www.thericc.org.

Albritton Funeral Directors is in charge of the arrangements.