Pamela Pickard

Graveside service will be held at Rocky Hill Cemetery at 10:00 am on Friday, September 20, 2024 at Sims “Rocky Hill” Cemetery with Jerry Wilson officiating. Internment will follow at Rocky Hill Cemetery. Laird Funeral Home will be handling the funeral arrangements.

Pamela Pickard, 68, of Lufkin, passed away on September 10th in Lufkin.

Pam was born to Vernon and Bernice Pickard on June 7th, 1956. She went to high school at Lufkin and graduated in 1970. She went on to earn a certificate in phlebotomy from Angelina College. She then went on to work as a Laboratory Technician for 40 years, until her retirement, from CHI Hospital.

Nothing brought her more joy than helping someone in need at her job. I remember so many stories when she would get off of work about a certain patient that needed blood or someone who had a heart operation and how she knew she did all she could to help them. I was always amazed at how organized she was and how she was good at multitasking. She hardly ever missed work, even when her knees were causing her discomfort. She always enjoyed talking with her ‘bestie,’ Mariela Vasquez after a good day or a tough day. She told me often that you don’t have many true friends, but Mariela was just that. She had a love for animals, especially dogs. I remember many days and nights she would just go to watch Hallmark movies, curled up with Leo, our dachshund. Pam also loved southern comfort food such as hot water corn bread and black-eyed peas. She would always ask my grandmother Dorothy about her tea cakes and “Duren Pound Cake.” She was a member of First Baptist Church in Lufkin. Her heart and soul were devout to Jesus. One of her favorite books of the Bible was the Book of Job. I remember many times she would mention how God said, “You can take anything you want, but you can’t have his soul.” I can hear her now telling me, “If you hang on to God, he will hang on to you.” She also loved beauty products and especially going to “Jerry Sue’s Beauty Salon” to get her hair done. I remember taking her to get her hair done many times; even when her knees hurt, she wasn’t missing that hair appointment. I remember so many jokes we would say to each other because we were so close. I said to her once, “Mom, is there anything that doesn’t hurt?” She would ball up her fist, shake it towards me, and say, “This.” She taught me so many valuable lessons, none more important than my relationship with God. I love you mom, forever and always, and I will see you again.

Pamela is survived by her son, Bryan Duren of Lufkin; cousins, Linda Byrd and husband, Don of Lufkin; sister-in-law, Flo Pickard and husband, Lowery of Houston; and nephews, Todd Pickard and wife, Karen of Houston and David Pickard and wife, Abby of Houston.

She is preceded in death by her mother, Bernice Pickard; her father, Vernon Pickard; her brother, Lowery Pickard; as well as her mother-in-law and father-in-law, Elmer and Dorothy Duren.

Deepest gratitude to Dale Duren, Jason Lott, Linda and Joe Distefano and the Duren family, as well as Laird Funeral Home and Carroway Funeral Home for arrangements.

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