Morgan Pickering, Scroll #579
Morgan Thomas Pickering, 37, of Collinsville, passed away in his sleep Thursday, July 26, 2018. Born August 16, 1980 in Farmington, he was the beloved son of Dr. William J. and Mary (Fletcher) Pickering. He graduated Farmington High School in the class of 1999 and received his Bachelor’s degree from Keene State College, with a degree in fine arts. Morgan was an avid fisherman and lover of animals, especially his beloved Yorkshire terrier, Bailey. He could often be found near the water; whether fishing, kayaking or swimming. He was a gifted artist, both a prolific painter and photographer. We are blessed that his art will continue to serve as a reminder of his special spirit. Morgan was always ready to lend a hand and act as a first responder for anyone in peril. He saved multiple people from car accidents, including holding the hand of an elderly man whose car had overturned while waiting for police to arrive. In North Carolina –always an adept swimmer– he outswam the riptide to save a drowning swimmer, and again he saved multiple surfers on a family trip to California. He enjoyed traveling; including family vacations to the Outer Banks, the Caribbean, skiing the Rockies and Vermont and most recently a memorable trip, where he explored the Sagrada Familia and the Picasso museum in Barcelona, Spain and visited family in the UK. He was most comfortable in water. At his first swimming lesson, he dove in fearlessly and swam the length of the pool underwater before emerging, much to the relief of his mother. He was a Boy Scout, completed the nature expedition program Outward Bound and lived in St. Thomas for several years working as a golf caddy while enjoying the sunshine and tropical waters. He volunteered with the Salvation Army and worked in landscaping and snow removal throughout his adult life; but his true vocation was always in the arts and in his passion for nature. Besides his parents, he is survived by his brother Michael, sister Margaret, brother in law Spencer and their daughter Mona, niece Madison, nephew Hunter and their mother Nichole, and many beloved cousins (Eric, Margaret, Marjorie, Dorris, Emma, Sara and John), aunts (Claudia, Mary Lou) and uncle (Peter) in New York, California, New Jersey and Northern Ireland. He will be profoundly missed by his family and large circle of friends. Though he is gone far too soon, it is with a deep and faithful hope that you will remember him whenever you hear a witty joke, jump fearlessly into a cool body of water, and help others without hesitation in his honor.