Today it was called to my attention that the Chief Administrative Clerk of the Superior Court, Pasco "Pat" Picano passed away at the young age of only 78.
If there were ever an individual deserving of praise and respect for his work in the Rhode Island Court System not only in working with the judiciary and the court staff but also with the people of our state, it was Pat.
During my first ten (10) years working in the legal field in Rhode Island I saw Pat almost every day. For the past nine (9) years I have seen Pat off and on in my travels to the Superior Court in Providence for one reason or another.
Never, in all my years as a legal professional have I seen a man who was more helpful, congenial, dedicated, knowledgeable and selflessly willing to help you no matter what the problem or issue. Pat would never steer you wrong.
In nineteen (19) years knowing Pat, I am the better for it. Pat was the epitome of the consummate professional.
Ten years ago after being married by Henry Kinch, Jr. as the Superior Court Clerk, my wife and I passed by Pat on our way out of the Civil Clerk's Office. Though carrying several books and being followed by three people who were desperately trying to get his attention, Pat noticed that I was holding my wife's hand and dropped everything to take a few minutes to wish us well in our new life together. To this day that few minutes he spent is memorable to me because it was beyond "the job." Yet this is the kind of person Pat Picano was.
Not once in all the time I have known Pat did I ever seen him address anyone, especially the general public, in a manner that was anything other than positive and courteous. Pat Picano was never short, abrupt or rude even when he was being treated poorly by a member of the public or an angered attorney.
Pat was a model I strove to emulate in my younger years as he often spoke with pride about his family and with genuine praise for his fellow co-workers.
The Rhode Island Court System has lost a dedicated and exemplary public servant.
The people of Rhode Island may not realize as much as members of the Rhode Island Bar who knew Pat the significance of losing this humble man who lived a life of true greatness without expectation of reward.
For those of us who knew him if only on an extraneous level through court dealings and issues, Pat Picano was a man who did not put on heirs. . . a man who contributed to every life he touched.
For those of us who were consciously aware of Pat and what he meant not only to Rhode Island's Court System but also to the lives he touched, he remains a part of us.
I for one, know that the interactions with Pat on a daily basis have made me a better man, a better practitioner, a better husband, a better father and a better grandfather. I grieve for Pat's family and their loss, knowing full well that he has shaped my life and those I have touched with my life for the better.
Thanks Pat. Your spirit lives on!
Respectfully,
Christopher A. Pearsall, Attorney