Yolanda Pickard

Yolanda Dolores Johnston Pickard, 89, passed away peacefully with family on April 17, 2019 in Kerrville, Texas. She was born in Mercedes, Texas to Frederico Johnston and Francisca Gonzales on July 14, 1929. She married William G. Pickard on September 29, 1956 in El Paso, Texas. \r\n\r\nShe graduated from Weslaco High School and earned her Bachelor and Master of Arts with honors from University of Texas at El Paso, majoring in French and Spanish. She was a member of the Alpha Chi Honor Society, the French Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society. She was a gifted educator with a lifelong passion for teaching. She taught French at Andress and Coronado High Schools in El Paso, Texas, King's College in Bristol, Tennessee and more recently at Schreiner University in Kerrville, where she was loved and respected by her students and was affectionately known as ‘Madame Pickard'. As a volunteer, she taught English to Hispanic women at Notre Dame Catholic Church and she taught Spanish to seniors at Brookdale Assisted Living. She dedicated her life to mentoring and serving others, particularly those in need. She loved her family, was committed to her faith and a long-time parishioner and volunteer at Notre Dame Catholic Church, Rafael Clinic, and St. Vincent de Paul.\r\n\r\nYolanda was preceded in death by her husband, William Goodrich Pickard and survived by her sons and their wives, Heron and Gloria Cavazos of Weslaco, Stephen and Beth Pickard of Dallas, Michael and Anita Pickard of Kerrville; daughter, Yvette Schweisthal of Kerrville; brother, Luis Johnston and his wife Shirley of Hesperia, CA; 11 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren. \r\n\r\nRosary and Vigil will be held at 6:00 pm on Friday, April 26th at Grimes Funeral Chapels. Mass will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, April 27th at Notre Dame Catholic Church. Interment will be at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio. \r\n\r\nIn lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Vincent de Paul Society, 1145 Broadway, Kerrville, TX 78028.\r\n\r\nThe family of Yolanda Pickard wishes to extend our sincere thanks to the loving and dedicated caregivers at Brookdale Assisted Living, Helping Hands of the Heart, and Peterson Hospice of Kerrville. \r\n\r\n