Corey William John Pickelsimer. It’s a big name. Born Aug. 10, 1975, at Deaconess Hospital in Spokane, weighing in at 10½ pounds, Corey was a big boy. On Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, the angels came and swept Corey away to heaven’s gates and our loving God. It has left us with a very big hole.
Corey lived a big, full life, but Corey’s earthly journey has now come to an end, and the loss of our Corey has left us in the biggest, deepest pain imaginable. We can only pray that God is holding Corey close, and maybe Corey is even sharing one of his wickedly funny jokes, bringing laughter that will ring throughout our Lord’s heavenly home … and now Corey’s.
Picking up the pieces of a life so fully lived, with so many facets, this farewell that we have no choice but to embrace, is clearly very difficult.
Corey was so many things to so many people, and yet there were constants that ran like a river along his path. As a boy in Pullman, attending Franklin Elementary and Lincoln Middle School, Corey made close, lifelong friends that he continued to care for every day of his too short life. Pullman and the hills of the Palouse were Corey’s forever home, no matter where he lived. His Pullman tapestry pillow, his Washington State University caps and tees, everything is a reminder of his roots, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts and his Masters. He followed in his stepdad’s footsteps after graduation, proudly becoming a Foreign Service Officer, eventually serving at U.S. Embassy Bangkok and U.S. Embassy Pretoria. Everywhere Corey went, he earned the respect and love of those lucky enough to know him. Corey was scathingly funny, skewering his friends and family alike. But everyone loved it, because we all knew that this was Corey’s way of saying “I love you.” His caring for everyone in his orb knew no bounds. Truly, I tell you, in Corey’s 48 years, I never once saw or heard him be unkind to anyone. He might throw you down in some Corey-invented wrestling move, or tickle you nearly to the breaking point, but he always made certain that nothing or no one hurt the ones he loved.
How can we lose such a son, husband, father, brother, uncle? How do we bear this forever pain? God, please hear our prayers. But thank you, Lord, for sending us the gift of Corey, sharing him with us these past 48 years, one month and 17 days. The memory of his pure and constant love, his caring for others, his consummate kindness, the mentoring of so many he worked with, Corey’s passion for music and the Ramones and driving down the road with Corey in his Dodge Challenger with music blasting … what memories he has left us all with.
Corey is survived by his loving wife, Janalee; children, Ray and Cole; his grieving parents, Charla and Asif Chaudhry; his brother, Rishan (Jessica); his sister, Brianna (Cody); his beloved nephew, Noah, and niece, Margaret; and his father, Gary Pickelsimer. He was predeceased by his sister, Nichelle Pickelsimer, and his faithful, loving grandparents, Irene and John Hinrichs.
Corey also left behind an incredible circle of really close friends that made his life all the richer. Thank you all. A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11, at Community Congregational United Church of Christ, 525 NE Campus St., Pullman.
