Gladys E. Pearson, 86

Gladys E. Pearson, 86, of Fairfield, died Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2007, at the Teton Nursing Home in Choteau from natural causes.

Gladys was born Sept. 1, 1921, in Great Falls, the daughter of Oscar and Hilma (Orn) Johnson. She graduated from Power High School in 1939 and attended and graduated from Western Montana College in Dillon with a Bachelor of Arts in Education.

She taught school at Dutton Elementary School prior to her marriage and she was married to Elmer Pearson on Jan. 23, 1944, in Dutton. She then taught at Fairfield Elementary School (third grade) from 1961 until retiring in 1977. In 1980 she moved, with her husband, to Big Arm on the Flathead Lake and then returned to Fairfield in 1999.

Gladys was a member of the Grace Lutheran Church and the Home Demonstration Club. She and Elmer were members of the Moose, Eagles and Elks Lodge in Great Falls.

She enjoyed going dancing with her husband, yard work, fishing, playing cards and crocheting.

She is survived by her husband, Elmer Pearson, of Fairfield; sons, Gary and Karen Pearson of Fairfield, and Alan and Susie Pearson of Havre; sisters, Evelyn LaValley, Lillian Jenkins, Jeanette Waltari, Blanche Waltari and Ethel Doheny, all of Great Falls, and Dolores and Arnie Gettel of PowerT; four grandchildren, Dean and Jennifer Pearson, Debra and Mark Coverdell, Drew Pearson and Matt Pearson, all of Fairfield; and six great-grandchildren, Cassidy Coverdell, Kaylynn Coverdell, Kourtney Coverdell, Cantor Coverdell, Amanda Steen and Taylor Pearson, all of Fairfield.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 30, at the Grace Lutheran Church in Fairfield. Interment will be in the Sunset Hills Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 29, at the Grace Lutheran Church.

Memorials are suggested to the Fairfield School for their memorial garden, the Missoula Children's Theater Fund or to a charity of the donor's choice.

Arrangements are under the direction of Gorder Funeral Home of Choteau.