Clair Pickard

It is with heavy hearts we announce Clair Howard Pickard age 71 died November 10, 2024 at his home in Keating with family by his side.  A celebration of life will be Saturday, 10:00am, at St. Stephens Episcopal church in Baker City under the direction of Tami’s Funeral and Cremation Services.  There will be a graveside service at the Eagle Valley cemetery at 1pm, in Richland, with a gathering afterwards at the Eagle Valley Grange.

 Clair was born September 8, 1953 in Miami, Oklahoma to Larry and Lucille Pickard.  He joined older brother Kent and older sisters Anne and Linda.  A younger brother Danny completed the family.

 Growing up a ‘preacher’s kid’, the family supplemented the income with cattle and hogs. This cemented Clair’s lifelong love of cattle and horses.  His dream was always to have a ranch of his own.  While watching the Paint Your Wagon movie, and looking at a Steen’s Mountain ranch brochure with some buddies, he answered an ad in the Western Livestock Journal for a herdsman at Lorenzen Red Angus in Pendleton.  He was hired through a phone call……….sight unseen. In 1972 Clair packed his belongings and moved to Oregon and never looked back. Years later, one of those buddies said to Clair that he was the only one that followed his dream.  After working for Lorenzen’s, he went to work for a neighboring rancher, Riley Freeman.  They wintered cattle in Pendleton and summered on the Bar C Bar Ranch in Sumpter.  In November of 1975, he went to Richland, Oregon to process cattle for Riley and walked into the only restaurant for breakfast on a Monday morning and met Patti. He ordered two full breakfasts with a side of pancakes. Patti joked to the cook that she would hate to cook for that guy every day. Their first date was a few days later. He married his best friend for life, February 29, 1976 at St. Stephens Episcopal church in Baker City, Oregon. Along with a wife, he gained son, Jeremy Paul. Clair continued to work on the Bar C Bar for several more months. Fulfilling the dream of ranching for themselves, they rented a ranch on Beaver Creek and the adventure began. Their family grew with son Clayton Paul and a daughter Joey Marie. They leased ranches throughout Baker County during the next several years, gaining many lifelong friends along the way. Ultimately, finding their home in Keating Valley in 1990.

Clair loved the Lord, his family, his land and his livestock. Fun to Clair was being a Rancher. He built his dream with grit, hard work and an unwavering determination with Patti and his family by his side. He will be remembered for his boisterous laugh and love for visiting with friends and family.   

Clair’s incredible joy, endless kindness, and unending enthusiasm for life touched everyone who met him. His larger than life personality matched equally with the booming, unmistakable timbre of his voice that carried far and wide. Many mornings it could be heard floating across Keating valley, singing his favorite songs from Oklahoma!,  or raised in support at his kids’ or grandkids’ sporting events.  Clair would often be the first voice you would hear in morning in his early phone calls or could be found sharing one of his stories around a branding pot or in a card game.        

Clair earned the rank of Life Scout and the Degree of State Farmer through FFA.  He also served on countless boards including being a former member of Country Natural Beef, where he served as chairman for a period of time. He was a member of Eagle Valley Grange, served on the SWCD board, the Lower Powder Irrigation District Board, a committee member of Keating Pack 422 Cub Scouts and was Scoutmaster for Troop 438 in Richland.

The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses at St. Luke’s hospital and for their tireless care and kindness for not only Clair, but for all of us.

He is survived by his wife Patti, sons Jeremy (Martha) Johnson, Clay (Laura) Pickard, daughter Joey (Wyatt) Agar. Brother Kent Pickard, Sister Anne (Max) Smith, brother in law David Brindle and Brother Dan (Pam) Pickard, grandkids Kaitlyn (Brian) Johnson, Quinton Johnson,  Catherine Pickard, Carter Pickard, Rylee Agar, Taylor Agar and Cooper Agar and great grandson Elliot Johnson

He was preceded in death by his parents Larry and Lucille, sister in law Nancy Pickard and sister Linda Brindle.

Memorial Donations in Clair’s memory can be made to St. Stephens Episcopal Church or Angel Wings Network through Tami’s Funeral Home P.O. Box 543 Halfway, OR 97834. Online condolences may be shared at www.tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com