Mina Picard, 92, of Omak and formerly longtime resident of Twisp, passed from this life on Friday, Feb. 10, 2017, to join her parents, husband, son, many friends and relatives waiting for her on the other side.
Mina was born June 15, 1924, in Waverly, Kansas to Erwin (Shakey) and Reta Conklin. The family traveled west from Kansas to Omak when she was around 11 years old. That was quite an adventure according to her and her sisters. They had never seen such high mountains or snow!
Mom completed her schooling in Omak, and after graduating, she married John Picard. She related that he had completed boot camp and hitchhiked all the way back to Omak to ask her to marry him! They were married that afternoon. He left the next morning to report to duty and they didn’t see each other for almost four years. Mom and many women in the community worked in the sawmill in Okanogan as most of the men folk were gone to war.
When Dad returned home, they made their home in East Omak, where their daughter, Judy was born. They moved to Twisp in 1949 where he was employed at the sawmill. Their son, Ronald, was born shortly afterwards in 1950.
Mom always loved to read, so when she got the job of Twisp Librarian she was thrilled. She held that job for almost 20 years until they moved back to Omak in 1973.
Mom also loved to square dance. Many weekends were spent at Donna and Richard Picard’s garage where the grownups danced and us kids slept on the benches!
Family was always important to her and she loved her grandkids and great grandkids with all her heart.
Mom was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 60 years, Johnny, her son Ronnie, her parents and two sisters, Vera and Gladys. She is survived by her daughter Judy Picard of Twisp, sisters Jessie Barnes of Omak, Judy Buchanan of Yakima, Bonnie Olmstead of Oroville and brother Jim (Joyce) Conklin of Soap Lake; granddaughters Cheryl (Gary) Garrison and Christine Olson all of Spokane, Janine (Loren) Raymond of East Wenatchee, and Kelsey (Brad) Redmond of Post Falls, Idaho; and great-grandkids Tristen, Renee’ and Tehya Raymond of East Wenatchee, Dylan, Nickolas and Tanner Olson of Spokane and Griffin Redmond of Post Falls, Idaho. Also, many nieces and nephews.
Services for Mina will be held on Friday, Feb. 24, 2017, at 1 p.m. at Precht-Harrison-Nearents Chapel in Omak.
