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Tom Pico, the former mayor and councilmember known as a champion for Pleasanton’s slow growth and open space preservation movements of the 1990s and 2000s, died last week of natural causes during a brief hospitalization. He was 82.
A military veteran, retired finance professional and family man, Pico served on the Pleasanton City Council for eight years before winning back-to-back mayoral terms in 2000 and 2002. A longtime downtown resident, Pico remained active in community causes and local politics for more than two decades after his tenure at city hall.
“He told me, even in his last day I asked him what his proudest achievements of being mayor of Pleasanton were, and he was very proud of the Bernal property, Kottinger Park, Callippe Golf Course and that they put in some slow-growth measures,” his daughter, Jenny Pico-Moy, told the Pleasanton Weekly on Tuesday.
Current City Councilmember Julie Testa, a close friend and political ally, called Pico “a visionary leader … and a true guardian of Pleasanton”.
“As part of the ‘Dream Team’ that fought tirelessly to protect our hillsides, open spaces and community character from overdevelopment, Tom established a standard of public service rooted in integrity, wisdom and deep love for our city,” Testa told the Weekly. “He understood that preserving Pleasanton’s charm required both courage and an unwavering commitment to future generations.”
“Tom was a guiding light for me,” Testa added. “His mentorship, generous spirit and calm wisdom helped shape my own journey in public service. He showed us all what it means to lead with heart and purpose.”
A public memorial service has been scheduled for next month at the Pleasanton Masonic Lodge.
Born on the island of Maui in Hawaii in January 1944, Thomas Pico Jr. relocated to California during elementary school as his parents looked for better opportunities in the greater Bay Area. The family first moved to Bethel Island before settling in Antioch, according to Pico-Moy.
Pico graduated from Antioch High School in 1961 and went on to attend Diablo Valley College and San Francisco State University. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in June 1966, serving stateside for three years during the Vietnam War era because of vision constraints.
He earned a bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State and a master’s degree from Golden Gate University. He worked a long career in finance and accounting, including positions at Challenge Dairy, Granny Goose and National Refractories & Minerals Corp. before opening his own certified public accountant business in Pleasanton, which he operated until 2016.
Pico and his late wife Karen Ellis Pico moved to Pleasanton in 1983 when his children and her boys were of school age, and they made their home first on Neal Street and later in a Victorian house on Railroad Avenue built in 1903 that took nearly five years to renovate to code before they could move in, Pico-Moy recalled.
He made his first foray into city politics in 1990, losing a tight race to unseat then-mayor Ken Mercer. Pico was elected to a regular council seat two years later and would go on to serve two full terms on the City Council through 2000.
Pico won the mayor’s seat in the November 2000 election – a moment the family still fondly relives with a faded Pleasanton Weekly featuring “The Pico era begins” on the cover, Pico-Moy said.
Pico earned a second term in 2002, a two-year period that also saw him make a bid for the Democratic nomination for the State Assembly but fall short in the 2004 primary. He opted against seeking a third mayoral term that November, deeming 12 years of service enough and saying the city could benefit from fresh perspectives.
“Tom believed in metered, balanced growth that was often in conflict with a fiscally strong economic time for the city,” recalled Deborah McKeehan, Pleasanton’s city manager from 2000 into 2004.
“He was also a strong proponent of preserving the ridgelands and expanding parks and recreation,” she said over the weekend. “He took a personal interest in the city obtaining the property owned by the city of San Francisco, which is now Bernal Community Park with 50 acres of park and sports fields. The development of the park occurred because of the development of about 500 homes on the remainder of the property.”
“He gave his unwavering support for public communication through funding the broadcasting of City Council meetings and being a champion of the Pleasanton Weekly, which came to Pleasanton just as he became mayor,” added McKeehan, a former publisher of the Weekly and current member of its parent Embarcadero Media Foundation Board of Directors.
One of Pico’s final acts in office was being part of the council that promoted Nelson Fialho as city manager in late 2004.
“Tom understood the importance of balancing growth and progress with preserving the natural beauty, history and character of Pleasanton,” the former city manager told the Weekly. “He was thoughtful, principled and never afraid to stand firm on matters he believed were in the community’s best interest. He cared deeply about the decisions being made and their lasting impact on future generations.”
“What I will remember most about Tom was his character,” Fialho added. “He was gentle and kind with friends and family, yet fiercely protective of Pleasanton and the community he loved. He brought conviction, integrity and a genuine sense of public service to his role. His contributions to Pleasanton will be felt for generations, and I will always be grateful for his confidence in me.”
In a statement to the Weekly, city officials said, “The city of Pleasanton is saddened to learn of the passing of former Mayor Tom Pico … His dedication to public service and lasting impact on Pleasanton and the Tri-Valley will be remembered. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and all who knew him.”
Pico remained active in his later years and continued his love of traveling, including train trips to Colorado in May and to Vermont this summer, according to Pico-Moy. He died on Oct. 8 at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Walnut Creek after battling a recent infection on top of ongoing medical conditions.
Pico is survived by his son Tom Pico III, daughter Jenny Pico-Moy, sons Matthew Ellis and Adam Ellis and six grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Karen, who died 10 years ago Tuesday.
“He was the most amazing grandfather. Those children were a joy in his life,” Pico-Moy said. “He always said he thought he was a better grandfather than he was a father. And I told him, you have kids so that you can be a good grandparent. He would do anything for them.”
“He … he worked really hard when I was younger and was very invested in his job. But as he aged and had his own business, he had a lot of time and really invested in each of us personally. I just, I feel very blessed that he was my dad,” she added.
A memorial service has been scheduled for 4 p.m. Nov. 13 at the Pleasanton Masonic Lodge at 1181 Quarry Lane.
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