OSU Holds Celebration Of Life Ceremony To Honor Boone Pickens

Hundreds gathered inside the Gallagher-Iba Arena Wednesday to celebrate the life of T. Boone Pickens. 

Pickens died on September 11 at the age of 91 of natural causes.

Funeral services were held last week in Dallas for Pickens.

Complete with a band and Pistol Pete's antics, the celebration of life looked more like game day for Pickens at Oklahoma State University.

“I think he will be will remembered,” said Oklahoma State University President Burns Hargins. “I mean, we remember George Washington, I think here we'll remember Boone Pickens.

Many speakers took to the stage Wednesday, including the university's president, Governor Kevin Stitt and OSU Head Football Coach Mike Gundy.

“He showed us the way,” said friend, Anne Greenwood. “He showed us how to dream big, and he told us it was incumbent upon us to make a difference while we can.”

Pickens donated millions of dollars to Oklahoma State, but he also provided something money can't buy, a leader the university needed.

“He loved to say, ‘When you’re hunting elephants, don't go getting districted by chasing rabbits,’” said Hargins. “He went after big things, a lot of big things. The Pickens plan, shareholders rights, most people don't even know about the money he has given to the cure for cancer.”

With a celebration of life complete, preparations now begin for Pickens to be laid to rest near his childhood home at Karsten Creek Golf Club.

“You’d think it'd be Holdenville or on his ranch or Dallas, but I don't think anything in Boone’s life, anything, certainly there were people, but I don't think anything is as special to Boone Pickens as OSU.”

A statue of Pickens is currently at the foundry right now, according to the university president, and it will be placed on the west side of the stadium.

A fundraiser is currently underway.