Colleen E. Pearson passed away peacefully at her home in Amery on Sunday, August 21. Colleen was born on April 5, 1926, in Osceola, Wisconsin, to James and Laura (Nagler) Cook. She was the second of eight children. She spent most of her childhood in rural Bone Lake Township, attending Milltown High School, graduating in 1943. After high school, she moved to the Twin Cities and worked in a secretarial position for a small insurance company. While there, she met and fell in love with Harold (Bob) Pearson and they were married on June 20, 1947, in St. Paul, Minnesota. A year or so later they purchased a small farm in rural Clayton where they lived until December 1957 when they moved to their new home just south of Amery. While living on the farm, their six children were born. In December of 1957 they sold the farm and moved the family to their new house just south of Amery where they lived for 35+ years. Colleen worked for Fabri-Tek in Amery for a few years and then in the Amery High School office for five years. She then worked at Northern States Power Company for 16 years, before retiring in 1983. Colleen was afflicted by a neurological condition which eventually caused her to be wheelchair bound. Prior to her disability, she and Bob enjoyed traveling, dancing long walks in the 'back 40' and playing cards. Her disability caused them to sell their rural home and move to their one-level town-home at Pondhurst in Amery in the early 90's. She was a long-time member of First Lutheran Church in Amery. Colleen found the strength to deal with her health problems through her faith in God. Though she suffered with chronic pain, she always had a smile on her face and was more concerned with her loved ones' wellbeing than her own. She was a staunch Democrat and always made sure she cast her absentee ballots and wrote numerous letters to her congressmen throughout the years. Colleen is survived by her husband, Bob, of 69 years; children: Mike (Pat) Pearson of Afton, MN, Patty (Larry) Kuhl of Amery, Randy (Lori) Pearson of Bloomington, IL, Vicki (Roger) Breault of Luck, WI, Steve (Sheryl) Pearson of La Crosse, WI, plus eighteen grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren; brothers: Cleland (Pat) Cook, Wayne (Shirley) Cook, Roy (Diane) Cook, Lee Cook, sister Jean (Larry) Ince and many nieces, nephews and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, an infant son Richard, sister Kathryn Weinberg, brother Bill Cook, and grandson-in-law Jeff Aune.


Funeral services will be at 11:00 on Friday, August 26, at First Lutheran Church in Amery, with visitation on Thursday, August 25, from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Williamson-White Funeral Home in Amery and the hour prior to services at the Church. Interment will be at the Amery Cemetery.