John José Matthew Picard

John was very gifted & the world will miss his gifts. My heart goes out to you.

I hope he is at peace.

Love,

Barbara

On behalf of everyone at DeLaSalle High School, we would like to send our deepest condolences to all of John's family and friends.

DeLaSalle High School

I thank you for the fun we had back when life was simple. I hope you have returned to an even greater place of peace, my Brother.

Andres

About John

Pickard, John José Matthew 33, died unexpectedly in his apartment and was found during a wellness check July 25, 2022. He was born in Asunción, Paraguay, March 19, 1989, and was adopted the following month by Mary Pickard of St. Paul, where he grew up surrounded with the love of many friends.

He attended J.J. Hill Montessori and Friends School of Minnesota and was graduated from DeLaSalle High School in 2007. He attended Augsburg University and St. Paul College, where he received an AA degree with honors. While struggles with chemical dependency and mental illness made life difficult, he found joy in many activities and will be remembered for his beautiful spirit, creativity in art and music, unending curiosity, bright smile, and love of exercise and food.

As young as 3, John crafted costumes freehand from extra-large pieces of construction paper. In the third grade, he won the Montessori school's contest for designing a new logo, competing with older children. A variation of the logo is still used today. His artist eyes were observant, noticing the slightest changes in a room. That same perception was evident in watching people and situations and in his writing.

John discovered a life-long passion in middle school when he started composing music on the computer: beats, hip hop, and dance music were favorites. He never seemed to tire at soccer, skiing, and snowboarding. Tenacity was evident when he spent a half day falling and getting up again learning to snowboard.

As an adult, John walked throughout Minneapolis and St. Paul, often 10-20 miles in a day, getting to know the cities well and taking photos. He visited the St. Paul Midway YMCA nearly daily.

John was proud of his heritage; loved the many trips he and his mom took to Paraguay and the life-long friendships they formed. He learned the Paraguayan harp and played it at age 11 for his grandmother's funeral.

John is pre-deceased by his grandparents Eleanor Jenkens Pickard and David Gilman Pickard; survived by his mother, Mary Pickard, and many friends in the US and Paraguay whom he considered family.

Family and friends are grateful to Unity Church Unitarian of St. Paul for welcoming John into community. He received guidance, friendship, a kind and loving embrace, and a place to call his spiritual home.