Carey Pickard was born to Lillian (McMichael) and Carey Pickard on March 27, 1937 and died at home on December 24, 2018 due to prostate cancer.
Carey had an unusually happy childhood, much of it spent with friends on the banks of the Ocmulgee River. The yo-yo champion of Macon while at Alexander III and a sharp shooter from an early age, he became the state rifle champion while at Lanier High School.
After graduating from Lanier in 1955, he went off to Davidson College—a school he chose more for its proximity to good hunting than its excellent academic reputation. A member of Kappa Alpha Order and the Davidson class of 1959, he learned to fly airplanes and soloed while still a student. This skill served him well when he joined the Navy and was stationed in the Pacific.
After his military service, he returned to Macon and joined his father in business at Pickard Tile Company.
He then met and married Lida Hill. Together they raised two children. Carey was a devoted father and spent many hours attending dance recitals, going on camping trips and spending time with his family. During this period, Carey was also deeply engaged in civic affairs and was a member of the Rotary Club of Macon; the Administrative Board of Vineville United Methodist Church; a Boy Scout leader and Council member; and the President of the Board of the Family Counseling Center. The group that meant the most to Carey, however, was the Palaver Club. He was a member for over fifty years and rarely missed a meeting.
After his first marriage ended, Carey met and married Beverly Bowden. Much of their life together was centered in the small town of Saluda, North Carolina where they bought and restored an old house. While there they had a steady stream of family and friends visit. They also opened Saluda Fine Arts as a showcase for Beverly’s art and that of other regional artists. At this time, Carey increasingly explored photography as a means to express his lifelong love of wildlife and the outdoors. Health issues eventually drew them back to Macon where his focus was being a caregiver for Beverly who survives him.
He is also survived by his son Carey (Christopher), daughter Elizabeth (Daniel) and stepdaughters Anne and Virginia (Steve), stepson Bowden (Debbie), seven step-grandchildren, and three step-great-grandchildren.
The family will receive visitors from 5pm to 7pm on Thursday, December 27 at 1066 Magnolia Street. A memorial service will be held at 11am on Friday, December 28, 2018 at Hart’s Mortuary on Cherry Street.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Initiative. ocmulgeepark.org 598 D.T. Walton Way, Macon, GA 31201
Please visit www.hartsmort.com to sign the online guest registry.
Hart’s Mortuary, 765 Cherry Street, Macon, GA has charge of arrangements.
View the online memorial for Carey Owen Pickard, Jr.
Funeral HomeHart’s Mortuary and Crematory
765 Cherry Street
Macon, GA 31201
478-746-4321Funeral Home DetailsSend FlowersPublished in The Telegraph from Dec. 26 to Dec. 28, 2018