Obit: Pearson, Irene Lillian (1923? – 26 Dec. 2006)
Poster: Stan

Surnames: Pearson, Halme, Rauha, Laasko, Deitz

---Source: Spooner Advocate (Spooner, Washburn County, Wis.) 01/03/2007

Pearson, Irene Lillian (1923? – 26 Dec. 2006)

Irene Lillian Pearson, 83, of Silver Spring, Maryland, died Tuesday, December 26, 2006, at the home of her son and daughter-in-law, Douglas and Marie Pearson, in Columbia, Maryland.

Her early life and schooling were in Owen, Wis. After graduating from Owen High School in 1942, she attended business school, and then worked as a secretary in the Chicago area, primarily for the United Auto Workers union.

She married Harvey Pearson on July 3, 1960 in Chicago, Ill. They lived in Chicago, River Grove, Ill., and Westland, Mich., prior to moving to Butternut, in 1975. She moved to Silver Spring, Md. in 1994 to be near her son Douglas and his family.

While in Butternut, Irene was active in a variety of community service activities. She served as vice-chairman and chairman of the Ashland County Housing Authority and was a strong advocate for the Brookside elderly housing development in Butternut. She was also active in the American Legion Auxiliary in Butternut, the Butternut Lioness Club, the Butternut Area Park Association, and the Flambeau Area Sportsman's Club.

She is survived by her son, Douglas (Marie) Pearson and grandchildren Katelyn and Emily of Columbia, Md.; nephew Paul (Mary Jo) Laakso of Minneapolis, Minn.; niece Shirley Marie (Michael) Reisbeck of Fairplay, Colo.; stepdaughters Marcia Pearson of Johnsburg, Ill., and Laurel Herman of Mundelein, Ill.; and cousins, step-grandchildren, other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Alexander Halme and Lempi Halme (Rauha); her husband, Harvey Pearson, in 1980; her son, Jeffrey Pearson, in 1988; her infant brother, Oliva Halme, in 1925; her brother Wilho Halme, in 1988; and her sister Ingrid Laakso, in 2001.

Services will be held on January 13, 2007, at 11 a.m. at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Butternut, with Pastor John Deitz officiating. Burial will follow at Union Cemetery, Butternut.