Obituary of Joseph Edward Pearson

Joseph Pearson, age 88 of Melbourne Beach, Florida passed away at Vitas Hospice of Melbourne of heart failure on Monday July 13, 2020. Arrangements are at the direction of the Frary Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Ogdensburg, New York. Joseph Pearson is survived by his beloved wife of 58 years, Elvira (Wedel) Pearson of Melbourne Beach, Florida. A son , Timothy Pearson of Dayton, Ohio. A daughter Deborah ( Mike) Wood of Wilmington, Ohio. Grandchildren James, Michelle, Annie and Christina. Sisters Meredith (Carroll) Roy of Lisbon, New York and Judith ( Allen) Premo of Ogdensburg, New York. Joe is predeceased by his parents Joseph Pearson and Johanna(Breen) Pearson. A sister Eunice( Thomas) D’ Amore and a brother Robert ( Elaine Spooner) Pearson all formerly of Ogdensburg, New York. Joseph Pearson was born on September 27, 1931 in Ogdensburg, New York. He graduated from Ogdensburg Free Academy. While at OFA he was a scholar and multi sport athlete. Joe continued his education at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York, while at Colgate he was a member of the freshman football team and graduated with a degree in Russian. Joe served in the US Army in Austria and continued his education at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. After discharge from the Army, Joe continued his education with semesters at the University of Albany, Columbia University and Middlebury College with a concentration in all Russian language studies. During his career, Joe was a teacher at Morristown Central School in Morristown, New York. He then worked as a Customs Agent in Ogdensburg, New York. Joe found his true calling at Wright - Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio where he worked as a Russian translator. Always pushing himself to the limit Joe and Elvira owned a party supply store (East Main Party Supply) in Fairborn, Ohio. Joe also owned a photography company (Mi -Val Portraits). Joe was a lifelong learner. He was fluent in several languages. In 1996 he traveled to Russia to fully experience the Russian culture. He taught himself to sail his 24 foot sailboat and had the pleasure of taking his high school French teacher Mr. Edgar Moreau on a nail biting ride. Joe and Elvira traveled the Northeast in search of Pearson/Breen genealogy. Joe always referred to living in Florida as “Paradise”, but his heart never left the St. Lawrence River. “God will link the broken chain. As one by one we meet again. In our hearts he will always stay. Loved and remembered every day.” Graveside service at 3:00 on Monday July 20, 2020 Sunnyside Cemetery in Morristown, New York Online condolences may be made at www.FraryFuneralHome.com/obituaries