A remarkable spirit has moved on. Chris Pickard glided away at midnight on October 11th, 2012. Chris was born in England in 1931, and emigrated to Canada in 1952. He fell in love with Julia O’Connell in 1962 and they were married in 1963.
In 1976 Chris came to Newfoundland and Labrador to boost a growing interest in Track and Field, and was instrumental in the success of the 1977 Canada Games. Chris is predeceased by his darling daughter Katie.
Chris loved his family, and leaves to mourn his beautiful wife of 49 years – Julia. Daughters Liz Solo (Mike Kean); and Anne Pickard-Vaandering (Julian) sons Christopher (Coleen) and Michael (Leigh Ann); cherished grandchildren Emily (Jared Amaral), Sam Hall, Eli Whalen, Elisabeth McMillan, Kyle, Sophie-Rose, Madeline, Ryan, Molly, Gabriel Moyes-Vaandering and Grace; special adopted nephew Ronnie Martin; and a plethora of former athletes, friends and extended family members.
Chris helped raise a creative, free-thinking clutch of artists, athletes and activists. He spent 30 years as Memorial University’s Track and Cross Country Coach, was selected 9 times as the Atlantic University Athletics Coach of the Year. He was a pioneer in Athletics in Newfoundland and Labrador and is a Hall of Fame Member. Chris coached National Champions and Olympians and was an official at the Montreal Olympics.
Chris gained fame for his annual Pickard’s Picks leading up to the Tely 10 Road Race. He was a crack pool shot, was an ardent fan of music of varied genres and found his love of performance late in life.
Chris was an armchair Jeopardy! champion and a cryptic crossword whiz. He recycled and composted before it was in vogue, wore a goatee before it was in style and developed track and field training methods that were ahead of their time.
Special thanks and love to the wonderful people who have been part of Chris’s life and who have provided love, care and support through these trying times. Donations can be made in Chris’s name to the Newfoundland and Labrador Athletics Association (nlaa.ca) or a charity of one’s choosing. Visitation will take place at Caul’s Funeral Home on Lemarchant Road on Saturday, October 13th from 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. -9:00 p.m. and on Sunday, October 14th from 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Funeral Mass and Celebration of Chris’s Life to take place after his loving wife and partner Julia recovers from hip surgery.