Justin Pickard, 19, of Toone, died Sunday, December 11, 2005 at Bolivar General Hospital.

He was born August 11, 1986 in Jackson, Tenn., the son of David Thomas Pickard and Connie Ruth Hooper Pickard of Toone where he was raised.

Justin graduated from Bolivar Central High School in 2004 where he played on the golf team. He was currently on the Dean’s list as an honor student at UTM where he was a sophomore Biology major. “The university extends its sypathies to the Pickard family in their loss,” said Bud Grimes, director of University Relations. “We grieve with them for their son’s death.”

Grimes said that David Belote, interim Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, attended the funeral as a representative for the university. Justin worked at Toone Lumber Company during his summer breaks since he was 12 years old.

He loved to fish, hunt, and play video games and also loved sports and watching ESPN. He was an avid Red Sox fan and baseball memorabilia collector.

Justin was a member of Maple Springs Baptist Church.

Services were 1:00 PM Thursday, December 15, 2005 at Shackelford Funeral Directors chapel in Bolivar with Mark McSwain and David Cooper officiating. Burial was in Vernon Cemetery near Cloverport. In addition to his parents, he is survived by a half-sister, Melissa Heidelberg of Medina; his maternal grandmother, Margaret Hooper of Toone; his girlfriend, Dani Avent of Whiteville and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, Malcolm Hooper and his paternal grandparents, Thurmond “Buck” and Evelyn Pickard.

Memorials may be sent to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.