Louise Irene Pratt Pearson became a cherished memory on January 13, 2019.
Born August 28, 1924 at State College, Pa. to Avery and Eliza (Wickham) Pratt, she graduated from Blacksburg High School in Blacksburg, Va., received her B.S. from Virginia Tech (where she met her soldier boy, future husband Frank) and also did post-graduate coursework at UND and Kent State. Louise was a nursery school teacher and used those skills overs the years to outsmart her three children, Diane, April and Jay, plus six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
February 2, 1946 she married Frank Pearson, Jr. and accompanied him during his academic years at Albion College and Dickinson State University.
In Albion, Mich., she taught knitting at community night school, later using her knitting skills to knit caps and scarves for members of the Merchant Marine and hundreds of baby caps for Dickinson newborns at St. Joseph’s Hospital and CHI St. Alexius Hospital. She was also a longtime volunteer in the records department at St. Joseph’s and delivered Meals on Wheels. Louise was a Head Librarian at Dickinson Public Library and then worked 13 years at Stoxen Library at DSU.
She was a bird lover, especially of hummingbirds, and encouraged her family to pursue their curiosity about nature. She was an avid reader and when her vision became too poor for the written word she listened to books on tape from the North Dakota State Library Talking Book program. She never stopped learning and delighted in sharing new information with her family.
Louise was a long time member of Prairie Winds United Methodist Church and the St. Alexius Hospital Auxiliary.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 71 years, Frank; her parents; and her sister, Greta.
She is survived by her daughters, Diane (Ron) and April, son, Jay (Tina); grandchildren, Kari, Laura, Michael, Robert, Daniel and Brian; great-grandchildren, Caleb, CJ, Oscar and Finley; her brother, Avery Jr. (Carolyn); and a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Prairie Winds United Methodist Church, PO Box 368, Dickinson, ND 58601, the Lamia Afghan Foundation, 4014 Skyline Drive, Nashville, Tenn., 37215-2319, or to your favorite charity. There will be a Gathering of Family and Friends on Saturday, April 27, 2019 from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Prairie Winds United Methodist Church followed by a Celebration of Life at 1:30 p.m.
