Pickleball Urns

Pickleball often arrives late in a person's life, offering a way to stay active that works with the body as it is. It is a game where the rules can be learned in minutes and a beginner can find a real rally almost immediately. The social engine of the game relies on rotation, ensuring that players spend their time with many different people rather than just one partner.

For them, those mornings at the courts were likely the most meaningful part of the week. They may have been the person who always had a spare paddle ready to lend, or the one who helped others find their footing in the game. They found a community where they knew dozens of people by name, building connections through the shared rhythm of the game.

While the social aspect is built into the way the courts run, the competitive side is equally significant. Serious players train for ratings and travel to tournaments, earning medals that represent their dedication.

They may have approached the game with that same focused intensity, traveling to compete and bringing home honors they held with pride. Whether they were a seasoned competitor or a dedicated regular who was present four mornings a week, the sport was a way they engaged with their community.

The designs are crafted from cast aluminum, featuring engraved artwork in a variety of colors. You can choose from a painted finish or a hand-applied enamel with silver bands, with each piece including a felt base and a threaded screw-top lid.

A family can choose from full-size, sharing, or keepsake urns to suit their needs, allowing for multiple pieces if they wish. We can also engrave a name and dates directly into the metal using a two-tone method, making those details a permanent part of the piece.

Pickleball was invented to stop children from being bored. On a Saturday afternoon in 1965 on Bainbridge Island in Washington, Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell returned from golf to find families with nothing to do. Since they could not find a shuttlecock, the game was constructed using a badminton court, a wiffle ball, and table tennis paddles. Barney McCallum joined them and cut larger plywood paddles. Joan Pritchard suggested the name came from the pickle boat in rowing, the crew made up of whoever was left over from the other boats.

For a family, the design on the urn is the mornings at the courts, and everybody the person played with.

Source: Wikipedia, Pickleball

If the person you are remembering lived with that same focused intensity or shared that deep connection to their community, then this design will recall the life they led. A playing partner or a longtime friend will recognize the rhythm of the game in these details. Families often select this artwork because those mornings at the courts were the best part of their loved one's week, and because their community of players was there to honor them.

The decision of which piece to choose rests with your own memories of them. When you look at this design, you will see the morning sun on the courts and picture them there, ready for the next rotation.

Our guide to selecting the right size urn