Lester Paul Picard, slipped the surly bonds of earth on Thursday, July 16, 2026 at 91.

Les was born, December 11, 1934, in historic Franklin, Louisiana, to Louise Leblanc and Fernest Picard. As their only child, Franklin was his playground, where he spent his entire childhood watching the town successfully struggle through the depression. An altar boy throughout his school years, Les attended Hanson Memorial High School under the attentive tutelage of the Christian Brothers whose encouragement led him into baseball, football, and basketball, and playing saxophone in the school band along with inculcating a love of history. His graduating class numbered just 18 students.

Like Mark Twain, Les never let schooling interfere with his education as he would regularly visit places like St Mary's Iron works as it survived the depression and became a hive of activity during WWII as well as the steam powered sugar and lumber mills. Some of his first sailing and mechanical experiences were in an old cypress oyster lugger, belonging to a classmate's grandfather, with mediterranean style lanteen sails that had an 8 HP Nadler twin cylinder jump spark motor made in Plaquemine Parrish.

Les went on to attend LSU, where he majored in Mechanical Engineering, and sought out applicable summer jobs, and he proudly served as a military veteran after volunteering for the Army. He built a distinguished 37-year career with Cabot Corporation that grew out of a summer job outside Franklin to living overseas for many years as he helped build multiple plants for the company across South America and Europe. He retired from Cabot in 1988, but his career was far from over - he continued working with multiple engineering firms until just five years ago, at the age of 87.

Les and Barbara Wurzlow first met as teenagers on Grand Isle, and life brought them back together in 1982. Seven years later, they married, beginning a partnership that would span 39 wonderful years. Together they built a rich and adventurous life: sailing the world alongside their closest friends, exploring countless destinations near and far, hunting and fishing both at home and abroad, and always returning to their beloved Grand Isle - with the occasional voyage to the Mediterranean and other blue-water horizons.

Les was preceded in death by his mother, his father, and his son, George.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara Wurzlow Picard; his son Allen Picard (Deborah) and his children, Matthew Picard and Alaina Bancroft, and great-grandson Hayden; his son Andrew Picard and his children, Cameron and Evie Jo; his stepson Hance Myers (Debbie) and his children, Grayson Myers and Phoebe Myers Labanowski (Paul); and his stepdaughter Michelle Myers King (Tom) and her children, Alden King Chapman (Reed), Anne King vonRosenvinge (Perry), and Jeanne Marie King Schlosser (Alexander), along with step great-grandchildren Holliday Virginia Chapman and Jensen Thomas vonRosenvinge.

Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend the visitation at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral on Saturday, August 8, 2026 from 11:00 AM until the memorial Mass at 12:00 PM. Burial will take place at a later date.

The family would also like to thank The Haydel Family and everyone at Haydel Memorial Hospice for their Kind, Compassionate Care and Guidance.

Donations may be made in Les's honor to: Haydel Memorial Hospice 741 Point Street Houma, La. 70360