Beatrice “Bea” L. Pearson, 95, St. Cloud

January 13, 1921 - May 4, 2016

Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Monday, May 9, 2016, at Calvary Community Church, 1200 Roosevelt Road, St. Cloud, for Beatrice L. Pearson who died early May 4, 2016, of natural causes at Quiet Oaks Hospice House, St. Augusta. Pastor Steve Eckert will officiate. Private burial at Assumption Cemetery will follow. Visitation will be Sunday, May 8, 2016, 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Calvary Community Church and again 1 hour prior to services.

Bea was born in Storden, Minnesota, to Christian (C.A.) and Alta (Vinding) Larson and raised in Benson, Minnesota, graduating from Benson High School in 1938. The following March 10th, she married B. Vern Pearson at the 1st Baptist Church in Benson of which she was a charter member. The two of them traveled across the country after their marriage in his job as a manufacturer's representative before they settled back in Benson to open a small business together. Their lives were interrupted by World War II with Vern serving overseas. Following the war, they lived in Benson and Duluth, eventually moving their growing family to St. Cloud in 1956 where they bought an automobile dealership. When their children were young, Bea's life was centered around home, church and extended family activities. Meanwhile, the family business grew and changed from automobiles to recreational vehicles with the opening of PleasureLand RV Center in 1971. Her role gradually increased in the operation of that business until Vern's death in 1988 at which time she became more directly involved in the leadership of the organization. She remained active in its daily operation until her retirement at age 88.

Before Vern's death, they traveled extensively with visits to Europe, China and South America included. Her spirit of adventure continued to be evident in a 4-generation hot air balloon ride in 2013 at age 92. Most important, her focus has been on the lives of her seven children, 22 grandchildren and 45 great-grandchildren. Her hobbies included sewing and knitting and her entire family sported evidence of these skills. As her health and mobility declined, she continued to knit, making masterfully-crafted colorful scarves for everyone in the family and many more to give away to charity. The last "scarf count" was 378. This knitting won her a blue-ribbon at the Benton County fair in 2014 at age 93.

She is survived by her children David (Joan), St. Paul; Charlie (Sharon), St. Cloud; Jane Zilka, St. Cloud; John (Cherry), Rice; Barbara, Eden Prairie; and Dan (Greta Abel), St. Augusta. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Rholan and DuWayne Larson and grandchildren Molly, Lisa and Justin Pearson.

We offer grateful appreciation to the staff at Quiet Oaks Hospice House, St. Augusta, for sensitive and loving care of all family members and to the wonderful caregivers who attended to her needs in her declining years.

Memorials are preferred in lieu of flowers to Quiet Oaks Hospice House or the Justin Pearson Foundation Fund c/o Central Minnesota Community Foundation.