John "Craig" Pickering

John Craig Pickering passed away peacefully in his sleep on Tuesday, July 8, 2025.  He was born October 20, 1942 in Leominster, Massachusetts, to John and Cecilia (Marquis) Pickering. 

He is survived by his four children: Christine Paredes and her husband Thomas of Leominster; Shawn Pickering and his wife Pamela of Framingham; Wendy Thomas and her husband Jason of Leominster; and Erin Cowell and her husband William of Bellingham, all of whom he admired and loved greatly.

He also leaves behind eight beloved grandchildren — Nicholas, Anthony, and Christopher Paredes; Paige and Leah Pickering; and Dylan, Seth, and Gavin Thomas — and one cherished great-grandchild, Xiomara Paredes.

In addition to his children and grandchildren, Craig is survived by his sister, Judith Fortin, and her husband Joseph. His nephews and niece Nathan, Wade and Renae Fortin, as well as his devoted and loving partner of 35 years, Lori (Bissonnette) Gaetz.

Craig was a lifelong resident of Leominster who grew up in the house that his grandfather built, and throughout most of his life called that house his home. He graduated from Leominster High School in 1961. A year later he met his former wife, Catherine (Johnson) Pickering, and in 1963 he began what would become a long, dedicated career at Simonds Saw and Steel Mill, where he worked in Quality Control for over 30 years before retiring. He was a member of the Eastwood Club, where he enjoyed throwing darts with his team and cheering on the Patriots every Sunday with friends. Always up for some friendly competition and good company, he also played in the horseshoe league at Saint Francis.

Craig loved technology and could often be found on his computer. He always enjoyed having and exploring the "latest and greatest" gadgets as they became available. He was a pioneer when it came to home computers, being the first of anyone we knew with the Commodore Vic20, then graduating to the Commodore 64. He would happily sit and enter code for hours on end with his kids so they could play a simple game that they loved. He was one of the first to log “Online” on a Leominster chat group. He loved helping others with their computers and very much enjoyed creating programs and slide shows for work, friends and family.

Craig had a deep love for music and throughout his life he learned to play several instruments. He loved to play the organ most of all and, when his children were young, would happily perform their favorite and most requested "Alley Cat" song for them while they ran and danced around him. He loved to cook and would conjure up delicious gourmet dishes. He enjoyed playing darts, cards, and cribbage. He loved his crosswords puzzles which he did every morning with his coffee. He enjoyed traveling with Lori, the love of his life. Together they made many memories adventuring in New York, Maine, Atlantic City, Nashville, Florida, the Grand Canyon, California, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. He enjoyed going to restaurants with Lori for dinner and, as often as he could, he would take his (adult) children out to lunch. He very much enjoyed and appreciated time spent with his family. 

Craig leaves behind a legacy of humor, positivity, and telling stories that we’ve all heard multiple times. He will be deeply missed by all those who knew and loved him. 

Calling hours are Saturday, July 19th, from 9:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. at Richardson Funeral Home, 106 West St., Leominster with a service at 11 AM. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Craig’s name to New England Organ Donor Services at https://neds.org/   Private burial for family will be held at a later date.

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