Obituary of Harold Pickard

Harold Wesley Pickard was born June 18, 1920, to James Grover Pickard and Marie Henrietta (Lohman) Pickard in Hooker, Oklahoma. He was called to the Lord on March 10, 2014 at the age of 93. Harold was the eldest of six children; siblings Leona (Edmunds), Louis, Kenneth, Velma (Hubbell), and Fern (McCaffrey). In 1928 the family moved to Colorado, first to Fountain and then settled on their farm northeast of Vona in 1931. Harold graduated from Vona High School in 1939. Harold married a young new school teacher, Rose Mary Tanner on May 4, 1941. They made their first home on a farm across the road from his parents. When first son Don, born in 1942, was a baby they bought a farm south of Vona, where they remained to also raise Larry, born in 1945, and Karen, born in 1950. For Harold farming was not just a way to earn a livelihood, it was his life’s calling as well. He passed his love and knowledge of farming on to his sons, grandsons, and great grandsons! For many years he farmed with his sons as Pickard Farms, Inc. There was no greater joy for him than working the land. He and Rose loved to travel but whether it was a short trip to Oklahoma to see relatives or half-way around the world to Australia, his focus was always on what was being farmed in that new place. After their children were grown, when many would have thought of retiring, Harold and Rose moved to an irrigated farm north of Idalia and began a new chapter in their farming careers. It was also during this time that Harold fulfilled a life-long dream, earning his pilot’s license at the age of 60 and bought a Cessna 182. He loved flying short trips and was able to fly it to Alaska with the help of 2 close friends. A man of deep faith, Harold was a long-time member of the Vona Baptist Church and helped rebuild it after a fire destroyed the building in the early 1960’s. After the move to Idalia, as members of the Beecher Island Sunday School, he and Rose were again involved in creating a new church building there. After moving to Burlington he attended the First Baptist Church. He found great strength and comfort from his faith as it was a guiding force through his life. Harold served his community as a member of the Vona School Board and later with the Idalia Lion’s Club. Upon retiring from the farm he enjoyed meeting other farmers for coffee and to speculate about when the next good rain might finally come. Harold’s long life brought more than its share of sorrow; Larry died in 1995, Don in 2008 and Rose, his beloved wife of 68 years, just a few months later in 2009. He found comfort when he met Nola Mangus, a widow herself and during their four years of marriage they enjoyed accompanying one another to family events plus constant drives out in the country to check on the crops. In addition to Rose, Don and Larry, Harold was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Leona (Edmunds) and Velma (Hubbell), and 6 sisters-in-law and 3 brothers-in-law. He is survived by his wife Nola of Burlington; daughter Karen (Dennis)Towns of Stratton; sister Fern (Wayne) McCaffrey of Seibert; brothers Louis Pickard of Stratton and Kenneth Pickard of Flagler; brother-in-law Glen Edmunds of Stratton; sister-in-law Margaret Tanner; Don’s children: Camilla (Brad) Green of Dalhart, Texas; Kirsten Pickard of Salina, KS; Grant (Jaclyn) Pickard of Cincinnati, OH; and their mother Kathy; Larry’s children: Sydney (Mark) Nehler of Denver; Wade (Amanda) Pickard of Stratton; and their mother Linn; Karen’s children: Chad (Jessica) Towns of Idalia; Megan (Clay) Tallmadge of Mancos, CO; 13 great-grandchildren; as well as Nola’s children: Jerry (Cindy) Mangus, Rita Coonts, Wanda Mangus, and Kenny (Shelly) Mangus and their children; a host of nieces and nephews; and friends beyond measure.