Lucille Pearson

Pearson, Lucille Middleville Lucille Virginia Pearson passed away peacefully on December 15th, 2020 surrounded by family. Luci leaves behind her husband of 52 years, Jack Pearson; her children, Steyn Pearson (Alexa), and Annette Pearson; grandchildren, Mitchell, Cedar, Kaila, and Solson; siblings, Tom Van Hoven and Jim Van Hoven; as well as her nieces and nephews. Luci was a generous and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. She was born to Walter Clyde and Mildred (Pell) VanHoven in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1943. Luci fell in love with music after her father took her to a music store and bought her a flute. She also learned to play the piano, the chimes, and the organ. She attended Western Michigan University where she continued to explore art and music while also earning her degree in education. During her first years of teaching, Luci met the love of her life, Jack Harry Pearson. They married in 1968, and eventually moved to Richland, Michigan to raise their two children, Annette and Steyn. Luci returned to Western Michigan University to earn her Master's in Education. She carried her love of art and music into her classroom. She taught kindergarten for 30 years, spending most of her teaching career in the Portage School District. After retiring from teaching, Luci continued to teach and tutor in reading and music. She also explored various art forms throughout her life. She crocheted, knit, quilted, embroidered, painted, sketched, and created beautiful stained glass pieces. She played music in the church, in the New Horizons Band, and at weddings. Luci felt most at home by water, especially at Gun Lake. She was introduced to the waters of Gun Lake when she was 15 years old. She became an advanced swimmer and was on the synchronized swim team at Western. Jack and Luci bought a cottage on Gun Lake when they were first married and every June, Luci packed the car on the last day of school to take her family to their Gun Lake cottage for the summer. After retirement, Jack and Luci built a home where their cottage once stood. They lived on Gun Lake year round and enjoyed visits to Portland, Oregon and Colorado to spend time with grandchildren. While at the lake, she savored time collecting rocks for her flower berms, tending her garden, designing and making stained glass. Mostly she liked watching the beauty of the seasons unfold. She also was a member of the Gun Lake women's club where she contributed her knitting and sewing. One of her lasting legacies will be carrying the torch for the "Ring of Fire." For the Fourth of July, she encouraged her neighbors to participate by lighting flares along their property's water edge after the fireworks. She would catch up with folks while taking orders for their flares and delivering them before the beautiful display in the bay of West Gun Lake. On the night she passed away, her beloved neighbors and her family lit their flares in celebration of Luci Pearson's life. There is no memorial service planned at this time. Donations in her memory can be made to Hospice of Michigan. Please visit www.beelergoresfuneral.com to share a memory or leave a condolence message for Lucille's family.