Marion D. Pearson

 

Marion D. Pearson, age 90, of West St Paul, formerly of Jordan, Minnesota and Hovland, Minnesota, died peacefully surrounded by family at The Sanctuary at West St. Paul on July 24, 2021.

Marion Delphine Bernazani was born March 29, 1931, in Boston, Massachusetts to Delphina (Chiesa) and Louis Bernazani.

She attended École St Joseph in Everett, Massachusetts, a grammar school taught by French-speaking nuns, and graduated from Everett High School in 1948.

Marion met Eugene V. Pearson at a Christian singles dance through their church and the rest is history. They married on January 6, 1956, at St Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Phoenix, Arizona.

In 1960 Marion and Gene and three young sons made their way to Minnesota and settled in Jordan where they started and operated the Pearson and Sons Greenhouse for close to 40 years.

In 1970 Marion won a blue ribbon and traveling trophy for the best flower arrangement from the North Central Florist Association contest hosted in Minneapolis and went on to compete in the Nationals in Hawaii. It was a great honor for her to be acknowledged for her work in floral design.

Marion sang alto in the choir at St John the Baptist Catholic Church, Jordan, Minnesota. She also enjoyed playing the piano throughout her life as well as dancing and traveling with Gene.

Marion and Gene retired in 1996 and moved to Grand Marais and Hovland, Minnesota. During her retirement she enjoyed singing in the church choir, going to coffee after daily Mass, volunteering with the Grand Marais Garden Club, and even joined a snowmobile club. Marion loved to entertain their many friends and family that visited the north shore. Spending time with her family was very important to her and she especially loved to celebrate birthdays. During the winter Marion and Gene would take a trip to Mexico or stay at their home in Mesa, Arizona. She moved back to the Twin Cites area after Gene’s death in 2014. Marion was a kind and loving soul and will be greatly missed by many.

Marion will be missed by sons, Joseph (Carol), Louis (Nancy), Andrew, Mark (Jill Pennie) and Peter; grandchildren Anthony, Daniel, Eric, Brian, Timothy, Eleanor, Signe and Dylan; eight great-grandchildren; siblings George Bernazani, Helen Prizio, John Bernazani and Claire Frassica; sisters-in-law Alice Williams and Claudia Potestio; and many nieces and nephews.

Marion is greeted in Heaven by her husband, Eugene; sons Victor, John Paul and Claude; grandson Michael; parents; siblings Louise Rossetti, Ethel Schillinger, Paul Bernazani, Francis Chubinski and Mary (infant twin sister); sisters-in-law Barbara Cavanaugh, Constance Silkett and Roberta Pearson; and brother-in-law Robert Pearson.

A visitation will be held Tuesday, August 10 from 6-8 p.m. at Wagner Funeral Home, 17365 Johnson Memorial Dr., Jordan, Minnesota, 55352. A Mass of Christian burial will be Wednesday, August 11, 2021, at 11a.m. with visitation 1 hour prior, at St John the Baptist Catholic Church, 313 2nd St E, Jordan, Minnesota. Father Neil Bakker will preside. Burial will be at a later date at St. John’s Catholic Cemetery in Grand Marais, Minnesota. Memorials will be distributed to Catholic Charities and the Alzheimer Association of Minnesota.