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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of Donald F. "Don" Pickard of Oak Park,
4who passed away on May 2, 2022 at the age of 86; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Don Pickard was born to Francis L. and Muriel
6(Little) Pickard in Rushville on November 25, 1935; he and his
7brother were raised in Littleton, where their family owned and
8operated Pickard & Son, Groceries; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Don Pickard attended Knox College in Galesburg,
10where he joined the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity, served in the
11ROTC, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa; he also met his future
12wife, Joan Christiansen, during his college years; upon
13graduating from Knox College in 1957, they officially married;
14and
 
15    WHEREAS, Don Pickard and Joan soon moved to Fort Benning,
16Georgia, where he completed his basic training in the U.S.
17Airborne Infantry Officer's Basic Course; he was elevated to
18first lieutenant before he moved to Chicago to accept a job
19with the Illinois Bell Telephone Company in 1959; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Don Pickard utilized his public relations and
21speech writing skills to his and Illinois Bell's advantage; he

 

 

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1was an invaluable asset when the company was broken up by way
2of a consent decree; ultimately, he became assistant vice
3president of Ameritech before retiring in 1990; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Don Pickard was passionate about the arts and his
5faith community; during the 1980s, he was a board member of
6Chicago's Auditorium Theater; for more than 50 years, he was
7also a strong presence at Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church, where
8he served as a deacon and an elder; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Don Pickard suffered the loss of his first wife,
10Joan; healing and time enabled him to choose to remarry in
111983, and his marriage to his second wife, Roylene, lasted 40
12years; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Don Pickard enjoyed fishing, swimming in his
14backyard pool, telling bad jokes, and all things related to
15his alma mater, Knox College; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Don Pickard relished spending time with his
17family and provided advice to anyone who needed it; he was also
18a master storyteller; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Don Pickard was preceded in death by his first
20wife, Joan Pickard; his parents; and his stepson, H. James
21"Jimmy" Murray III; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Don Pickard is survived by his children, Sharon
2Evans (Gary) and Karen Bromley (Kent); his stepchildren,
3Steven Murray, Cari Kremer (Doug), and Debora Panza; his 14
4grandchildren; his two great-grandchildren; his brother, Jack
5Pickard (Janice); and his seven nieces and nephews; therefore,
6be it
 
7    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL
8ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
9Donald F. "Don" Pickard and extend our sincere condolences to
10his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
11further
 
12    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
13presented to the family of Don Pickard as an expression of our
14deepest sympathy.