Funeral services for Marshal Earl J. "Nickey" Picard will be held on Thursday, August 24, 2023, at 10 am, in La Chapelle de Martin & Castille.
Marshal Picard was first elected on June 01, 1984, as the tenth City Marshal in Lafayette's history and was the first to be elected to five consecutive six-year terms.
Here's his obituary:
Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, August 24, 2023 at 10:00 AM in La Chapelle de Martin & Castille in Lafayette. Interment will be held in Calvary Cemetery.
The Very Reverend Chester C. Arceneaux, VF, Pastor of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, will officiate the service.
Survivors include one daughter, Darlene Picard LeBert and husband Andy; two sons, Leslie Picard and wife Karen, and Timmy Picard and wife Lynette; his grandchildren, Jake Picard and wife Brittany, Trevor Picard and wife Dominique, Kolby Connolly, Adam Connolly, Amelie Bennett and husband Kyle, Michael D’Antoni, and Alec D’Antoni; his great grandchildren, Harlei Picard, Kylee Picard, Solana Picard, Niyla Picard, Mathieu Picard, Catherine Ann D’Antoni, and Eloise D’Antoni; and his sister-in-law, Mary Alice Dupuis.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 70 years, Cecile Jeanette Picard; his parents, Henry A. Picard and Levee Marie Durio Picard; his sister, Anna Lou Picard Broussard; and his brothers, Shirley A. Picard, Patrick R. Picard, Jimmy Picard and Curley Picard.
Mr. Picard served in the United States Army, Command Sergeant Major, during the Vietnam era. He was also a veteran of the Army National Guard. He was First Sergeant of the 256th Combat Engineer Company, Louisiana National Guard at Lafayette. Not only did he serve his country, but he has served the Lafayette community for many years and in so many different capacities.
His 61 years of service with the law enforcement and criminal justice community began April 5, 1953 with the Louisiana State Police. Then, on to the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office. There he served as Chief Investigator for the Office of the District Attorney in Lafayette Parish. On June 19, 1984, he became the 10th Marshal in Lafayette history; the first to be elected to five consecutive 6 year terms upon his re-election in 2008, which made him the longest serving City Marshal in the state of Louisiana. He was also the Juvenile Detention Home Administrator, Member of the Louisiana Crime Commission, and the first Lafayette City Court Administrator. He also was an instructor at the Acadiana Law Enforcement Training Academy and Area Reserve Police Training Academies; and instructed LSU In-service training programs.
He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Louisiana Commendation Medal, Senior Non-Commission Officer of the year 1982, Inducted into Louisiana Justice Hall of Fame, Lawman of year 1970, Respect for Law and Service award, inducted as "Living Legend" into Acadian Museum 2009, Outstanding Citizen 2009, DPEC Lifetime Achievement Award-Hall of Fame 2014, 2015 Lafayette League of Women's Voters Safeguarding Democracy Award and Retired as Lafayette City Marshal on Dec 31, 2014 after serving 30 years and 7 months as Marshal where he started the “Holding Accountable” program and the Police Memorial to honor fallen police officers.
His service and accomplishments didn’t stop there. All this time while having this amazing career serving his community in law enforcement, criminal justice and instructor to others, he was going to school and receiving training himself. He attended the Louisiana State Police Training Academy, LSU In-service advanced homicide investigation, Federal Bureau of Narcotics-Washington DC, University of Southwestern Louisiana, University Houston, Tx, Penn State University, National Center for state courts Denver, Co & Minneapolis, MN. Conferences on narcotics and Juvenile Justice, and the International Symposium on drunk driving- Washington DC.
Marshal Picard wrote a book of poems dedicated to his late wife Cecile Jeanette Dupuis Picard. The poems were about his life with his wife and his career in law enforcement. This book includes the poems "The Kid Behind the Wheel" and "Did you?", which he was presented an award by the Louisiana Director of Public Safety, for working in the traffic safety field in1954.
Pallbearers will be members of the Lafayette City Marshal’s Office.
Honor guard members will be represented by the Lafayette City Marshal’s Office and the Lafayette Police Department.
A Rosary will be recited on Wednesday at 7:00 PM in Martin & Castille's DOWNTOWN location by Chaplain Francis Fontenot.
The family requests that visitation be observed in Martin & Castille's DOWNTOWN location on Wednesday from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM and will continue on Thursday from 8:00 AM until time of services.
Special thanks to Nickey’s caregivers, Martha Comeaux, Cindy Duhon, Karen Journet, Kayisha Griffin, and Keisha Senegal for their wonderful care and support.
For those preferring memorial contributions, they can be made in Earl J. "Nickey" Picard's name to the Picard Memorial Golf Tournament, c/o 246 Industrial Pkwy, Lafayette, LA. 70508.
