Jeffrey Wayne Pickard

Jeffrey Wayne Pickard, 80, of Smyrna, Georgia, passed away peacefully on January 3, 2026, after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer.
Jeff was born on May 4, 1945 in Atlanta, Georgia where he grew up and attended Southwest High School and met his sweetheart, Ludy Knight. After their marriage in 1966, he proudly served in the Army Quartermaster Corps and completed one tour of duty in Vietnam stationed at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, where his company was known as the "Suppliers to the Fliers". For his efforts, he was awarded a Bronze Star for Meritorious Service in 1970.
A faithful member of Smyrna First United Methodist Church since 1971, Jeff loved to serve as a dedicated member of the Chancel, Jonquil City Boys, and Cornerstone choirs, especially when his children and grandchildren had the honor of occasionally singing alongside him in recent years. He also loved being outside, whether it was cutting grass and spreading pine straw at the church, tinkering in the garden, feeding the birds, working side by side on a great many yard projects with his wife, children and grandchildren over the years, or simply soaking up the sun. In all things, up until his final days, Jeff was a devoted husband, loving father, adoring grandfather, friend to all, and man of service.
Jeff is survived by his wife of 59 years, Ludy Pickard, his three children Adam Pickard, Amanda Brady (Billy), and Neil Pickard (Michelle), and his five grandchildren, Mattie and Emmy Pickard, Jack Brady, Cayden and Kira Pickard. He is preceded in death by his mother, Elaine Wilson Pickard and his father, James Pickard.
Visitation will be held at Carmichael Funeral Home on Friday, January 9 from 4-8p. A funeral service will follow at Smyrna First United Methodist Church on Saturday, January 10 at 2p.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Red Cross. Blood donation was a passion that Jeff passed on to his children and grandchildren, where his legacy of service will continue to live on.