Al Pickarts

Edward Alan “Al” Pickarts, 90, died Nov. 13, 2017.
He was born Oct. 21, 1927, in Humboldt, the son of Edward A. and Esther Steenbock Pickarts. He graduated from Humboldt High School. Al received his B.A. from Baker University and his M.A. from the Colorado State University of Education. He did post-graduate work at the State University of Iowa, UCCS, Colorado College, Western State College and Kansas State University. He was a visiting professor at Colorado College and Chapman College at Peterson AFB. He taught in Esbon and spent two years in the U.S. Army. After his discharge, he worked at Boeing Aircraft in Wichita and returned to teaching in Larned.
He married Lu Margaret Green in Grand Mound, Iowa, on Aug. 27, 1955. They became residents of Colorado Springs in 1958, where he was a school psychologist with District II until his retirement in 1988. In addition, he and Lu spent one year in Melbourne, Australia, where he worked as an exchange psychologist for Aquinas College. He was the president of the Larned Teachers Association, Colorado Association of School Psychologists and was a member of the NEA and the El Paso School Psychological Society.
He was active in Holy Trinity Catholic Church, an aphaeresis donor at Penrose Hospital, a member of the Good Guys Club, and an active volunteer at the Catholic Center at the Citadel. his interests were philately, gardening, traveling and dancing.
Al is survived by his wife, Lu, and their four children, Glenn, Jaye (Gail) Pickarts, Kirstin (Ron) Rau, Kara (Pat) Massa, 14 grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, an infant son and grandson.
A celebration of his life will be on Saturday with a Rosary at 10:30 a.m. and a funeral mass at 11, followed by a reception at Holy Trinity Catholic Parish, 3122 Poinsettia Drive. Interment will be at a later date at Fort Logan Cemetery.
The family extends its sincere thanks to Interim Hospice and Country Club Assisted Living, and to all family and friends who have been so supportive. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Catholic Center, Holy Trinity Catholic Church or Interim Hospice.