Donald Patrick 'Don P' Pearson, 78
Don Pearson, 78 of Kalispell, passed away on April 16, 2024, after an ongoing battle with renal failure and dementia. He was treated with compassion and dignity by the wonderful people on staff at The Retreat, Logan Health Kalispell and Logan Health Whitefish. He was born in Kalispell on Sept. 11, 1945, and raised by his mother, Mary Kennedy Pearson, and foster parents, Leonard and Ceil Jackson.
He graduated from Flathead County High School and joined the Navy as a hospital corpsman during the Vietnam War. He served in country with the Marines and then aboard the hospital ship USS Repose. After finishing his tour overseas, he was stationed in the dispensary at Sandpoint Naval Air Station in Seattle, Washington. It was there that he met a Corps Wave by the name of Sharon. He was her hero and they married and had a son, Chad.
Upon his honorable discharge from the Navy, he moved his family back to Kalispell for a short time before attending X-ray school in Colorado. Then it was back to Montana to take the position of imaging department head at North Valley Hospital in Whitefish. He held that position for 25 years and challenged the Ultrasound Boards to become one of only 6000 registered US techs in the US at that time.
He and Sharon had an adventurous life while raising Chad. They snow skied, water skied and boated with several trips to go fishing on the Washington coast. Little League Baseball took up a few summers with Don coaching and Sharon doing the snack bar. They raised Arabian horses and took several trips on their beloved Gold Wing motorcycle. Camping, hunting and fishing are the legacies he left for his son and grandsons.
Don leaves behind his wife of 55 years, Sharon; his son, Chad; and two beloved grandsons, Cannon and Cade. He will be missed by his sister, Barb McMahon (Jim), his brother, Tom Pearson (Barbara) and sister, Kathy Walker (Kelly). Sharon's family accepted him as one of their own and missing him are, Larry Crumb (Phyl), Kenney Crumb, Nancy Deegan (David) and Bill Crumb (Theresa). Remembered also by nieces, nephews and good friends who were like family to him.
Your work is done, Don. Rest easy. You were a good husband, a good father, a good friend and forever my hero.
Memorials in Don's name will be greatly appreciated by CASA for Kids or Shriners Hospitals.
Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. on May 10, at Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home with Deacon Charlie Harball presiding. A reception for family and friends will be held at the family home after committal, at the Conrad Memorial Cemetery.