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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The passing of Wilford F. Pickard Jr. of College |
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| 6 | 7 | | Station on March 9, 2015, at the age of 81, has brought a great loss |
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| 7 | 8 | | to the Texas A&M University community; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Born in San Antonio on October 31, 1933, to Wilford |
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| 9 | 10 | | Pickard and Katherine Bossy, "Billy" Pickard graduated from Central |
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| 10 | 11 | | Catholic High School and subsequently enrolled at A&M; he joined |
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| 11 | 12 | | the Aggie football program as a student trainer, and he worked in |
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| 12 | 13 | | that capacity under legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant until he |
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| 13 | 14 | | completed his bachelor's degree in physical education in 1956; and |
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| 14 | 15 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Pickard began his professional career as the |
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| 15 | 16 | | head athletic trainer at Port Arthur and Brazosport High Schools |
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| 16 | 17 | | before returning to College Station in 1965 to take over as head |
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| 17 | 18 | | athletic trainer for the football team; over the ensuing five |
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| 18 | 19 | | decades, he took on an ever-increasing number of responsibilities |
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| 19 | 20 | | within the A&M athletic department, serving as the school's |
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| 20 | 21 | | equipment manager, assistant athletic director for training, |
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| 21 | 22 | | equipment, and facilities, and associate athletic director for |
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| 22 | 23 | | facilities; he was named senior associate athletic director for |
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| 23 | 24 | | facilities in 1994, and in this role he helped coordinate the |
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| 24 | 25 | | construction of the Bright Football Complex, Nye Academic Center, |
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| 25 | 26 | | and the Bernard C. Richardson Zone at Kyle Field; and |
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| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan officially retired in 2009, but |
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| 27 | 28 | | he continued to be a familiar and welcome presence on the A&M |
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| 28 | 29 | | campus; affectionately known as the "Keeper of Kyle Field," he |
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| 29 | 30 | | would often arrive at 6 a.m. to check on the stadium, and he was a |
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| 30 | 31 | | fixture and frequent speaker at Aggie football practices in recent |
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| 31 | 32 | | seasons; Mr. Pickard also lent his support to the school's other |
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| 32 | 33 | | athletic programs, attending myriad baseball and basketball games; |
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| 33 | 34 | | and |
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| 34 | 35 | | WHEREAS, Highly respected by players and peers alike, |
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| 35 | 36 | | Mr. Pickard held a number of important leadership positions within |
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| 36 | 37 | | the Southwest Athletic Trainers' Association, and the organization |
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| 37 | 38 | | honored him for his many contributions with the prestigious Frank |
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| 38 | 39 | | Medina Award in 1984; he was inducted into the National Athletic |
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| 39 | 40 | | Trainers' Association Hall of Fame in 1985, and he was a member of |
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| 40 | 41 | | the Texas A&M Lettermen's Association Hall of Honor; moreover, he |
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| 41 | 42 | | received well-deserved recognition for his dedicated efforts in |
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| 42 | 43 | | behalf of the university when the school declared October 10, 2009, |
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| 43 | 44 | | as Billy Pickard Day at Kyle Field; and |
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| 44 | 45 | | WHEREAS, In all of his endeavors, Mr. Pickard enjoyed the |
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| 45 | 46 | | love and support of his wife, Linda, and their six children, Kevin, |
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| 46 | 47 | | Joe, Janet, John, Jean, and Joy, and he later knew the joy of |
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| 47 | 48 | | welcoming two additional generations into his cherished family; and |
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| 48 | 49 | | WHEREAS, Billy Pickard made a positive difference in |
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| 49 | 50 | | countless lives during his exemplary service to Texas A&M |
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| 50 | 51 | | University, and he will forever hold a special place in the hearts |
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| 51 | 52 | | of his loved ones and Aggies everywhere; now, therefore, be it |
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| 52 | 53 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 53 | 54 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Billy Pickard and |
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| 54 | 55 | | extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his wife |
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| 55 | 56 | | of 43 years, Linda Pickard; to his children, Kevin Pickard and his |
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| 56 | 57 | | wife, Amy, Joe Pickard and his wife, Jan, Janet Bausch, John Pickard |
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| 57 | 58 | | and his wife, Diane, Jean Carter and her husband, Jeff, and Joy |
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| 58 | 59 | | Crowl and her husband, Mark; to his grandchildren and his |
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| 59 | 60 | | great-granddaughter; to his brother, Robert Pickard, and his wife, |
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| 60 | 61 | | Mary; and to his other relatives and many friends; and, be it |
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| 61 | 62 | | further |
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| 62 | 63 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 63 | 64 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 64 | 65 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Billy |
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| 65 | 66 | | Pickard. |
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