Thomas Pickard, born on August 18, 1990, passed away on September 18, 2026.

Thomas was truly one of a kind-a strong-minded, hilarious, stubborn, and kind-hearted man who could make people laugh even when they probably weren’t supposed to. He was a die-hard football fan through and through. If you knew Thomas, you knew exactly where his loyalty stood: GO BIRDS! He could talk football, argue about football, celebrate football, and probably convince you he was right about football-even when he absolutely wasn’t.

Thomas is survived by his wife, Kaila Pickard; his mother, Linda Carter (Pickard); stepfather, Kim Carter; father, Leland “Pops” Bartlett ; stepmother, Tressa “TMac” McManus ; two sisters, Alexis Bartlett and Sierra Bartlett; stepsister, Cloe Gagnon; two stepbrothers, Christopher Gagnon and Quincy Gagnon; two nieces, Alayna Packard and Stella Bacon; as well as aunts, uncles, cousins, and countless friends who will miss him tremendously.

He was predeceased by his grandfather, Thomas M. Pickard, and grandmother, Julie Pickard.

Above all else, Thomas loved his wife, who was his everything. Thomas married Kaila on November 24, 2019, and they spent their lives talking about and looking forward to all the years they would share together. He would do anything and everything he could to make her happy, and his love for her was evident in the little things, the big things, and everything in between.

She always said they were soulmates, and nothing could ever split them apart. He was her husband, her partner, her best friend, and the person she could always count on. Their love was deep, unwavering, and meant to last forever.

Thomas also shared an incredibly special bond with his mom, who was one of his best friends. They could spend hours on the phone together, sometimes simply talking for the sake of talking-sharing stories, laughing, and catching up about everything from everyday life to all the wrong calls and football games. Their connection was filled with love, comfort, and understanding, and it was clear how much they meant to each other.

Thomas loved his two sisters very much. He would do anything he possibly could to protect them, even though they lived in North Carolina. No matter the distance between them, he always cared deeply about their well-being and would be there whenever they needed him.

He loved his nieces so much and would always talk about how they were going to do amazing things in life and grow up to be the smartest girls in the area. He was always so happy to learn about their interests and watch them grow.

Thomas also shared an incredibly special bond with his best four-legged friend, Corona. To him, she was never simply a dog-she was family, his best friend, and one of the greatest loves of his life. Corona rarely left his side, except when Thomas’ New York loudness came out during football or a video game. Their bond was impossible to miss and reflected the love and loyalty they shared.

Thomas loved to travel and explore. He loved mountains, trees, the outdoors, and especially snow. If there was snow somewhere, Thomas wanted to be there. He found happiness in getting out on the road, discovering new places, and experiencing the world around him.

Thomas also loved playing video games, especially when his wife was willing to play. If you knew Thomas and Kaila, you knew their main living area had two TVs, two PS5s, and his-and-hers gaming setups. It was just another little part of the life they built together.

Music was his life as well. He had more than 2,000 songs covering just about every genre imaginable, and he loved having the same few songs on repeat. Traveling was always better with his playlist. With Thomas, you never knew what song was coming next-and somehow, you could hear the same favorites over and over again.

At his core, Thomas was one of the kindest souls. He cared deeply about his family and friends, and neither time nor distance could change that. Whether he had spoken to someone yesterday, months ago, or even years ago, he still cared about them and would be there whenever they needed him.

Thomas considered some of his closest friends to be family. Julio Garcia was his best friend in the entire world, and Thomas would have stood by him no matter how far apart they were. They would stay up late playing games together, catching up on the chaos each of them had experienced during the day. Thomas always said Julio was his brother, and he always had his brother’s back.

When Thomas came to Washington, he formed another special brotherhood with Kreacher ”Ben” Bedford, his brother from another mother from New York. Their lives became busier as time passed, but the bond they shared never faded. No matter how much time went by, they always had each other’s backs.

Thomas also met Dario Gaitan they formed an instant connection. Dario lives in los Angeles California They had met through PlayStation years earlier and continued calling each other regularly. Although they never met in person they were always just a phone call away. Thomas and Dario helped one another through difficult times in life, always offering support, encouragement, and understanding. thomas watched his kids grow and loved them so much. he will always be watching over them.

One of Thomas’ most recent friendships was with Jami Black, affectionately known as “Jam Jam.” They became instant friends when Thomas began working in traffic control and quickly became inseparable. His wife adored Jami, and the two of them would spend time together while Thomas was out of town or working without her. Jam Jam was Thomas’ partner in crime, and they always had each other’s backs. They especially loved grilling together after a long week.

Last, but never forgotten or least, was Thomas’ first best friend, Jared Fourhman, who passed away on May 21, 2016. Thomas loved him deeply, and those who knew them believe they are together again now, catching up and watching over all of us.

Thomas had so many more people who touched his life that there simply isn’t room to include everyone. He wished he could name them all, because each person mattered to him. He was just that special.

Thomas also discovered what he believed was his true calling in traffic control. He didn’t simply have a job-he genuinely loved what he did. He took tremendous pride in keeping his team and the people around him safe. Dedicated and dependable, he was always willing to step up when he was needed.

He was the kind of coworker who would skip his own break to make sure someone else had the opportunity to take theirs, especially when the unpredictable nature of the job made it difficult to find the time. He looked out for his team because that was simply who he was.

Thomas worked hard toward his goal of becoming a Traffic Control Supervisor, a dream he had carried with him since his time with his previous company. He was only beginning to reach the future he had worked so hard for, and he was incredibly proud of the path he had chosen.

Thomas will be remembered for his humor, stubborn determination, huge heart, loyalty, love of football, love of the outdoors, and, most importantly, the way he cared for the people and animals he loved.

He left an impression on everyone fortunate enough to know him. His laugh, his personality, his stories, his opinions, and his unmistakable way of being himself will never be forgotten.

Thomas was deeply loved, fiercely loyal, endlessly funny, and truly one of a kind.

He will be missed beyond words and loved for a lifetime.

Forever loved.

Forever remembered.

Forever our GO BIRDS.