Roderick Frank Pearson

Frank passed away in Calgary, Alberta on September 3, 2018 at the age of 93 years after a long but patient battle with Parkinson’s and other complications. He was born on September 22, 1924 and grew up on a farm near Hanley, Saskatchewan.

Frank graduated with an Engineering Physics Degree from the University of Saskatchewan at the age of 19 in 1944 and immediately joined the Navy as a Lieutenant teaching at HMC Signal School, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec. After leaving the Navy, he married the love of his life Elsie Evelyn Childs in Toronto on October 6, 1945. He did power line construction work for his uncle Robert before starting his career in 1947 with Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting in Flin Flon, Manitoba. He worked in Flin Flon until 1974 when he transferred to the Toronto head office before retiring in 1982. Frank and Elsie moved to Kelowna in 1992 and after Elsie passed away in 2008, he lived in Calgary’s Scenic Acres Retirement Centre since 2010 where the staff was so kind and attentive to him.

He is survived by his sister Jessie Garland Porter in Burnaby, BC; his three children’s families: Jim and Donna (De Fraine) Pearson, their son Ryan, daughter MaryEllen (Andrew) Machuk, their son Mitchell, daughter Melissa Pearson (Jon Ng), their daughter Violet and daughter Paula (Joe) Watkins, their sons Philip and Pearson; Nona (Doug) Flemming, with their daughters Carly and Julie; and Murray Pearson. He was pre-deceased by his parents, Sidney James and Christina Mae Pearson; Elsie in 2008; and his sister Isabel Garfield Green in 2010.

Frank and Elsie met at a university dance after she snuck in without paying (“to check out the new crop”) and he lied about his age. She found out when he had mumps in the hospital where she worked and she saw his chart. Their passion with square dancing started in the early years in Flin Flon and continued for over fifty years. He enjoyed calling square dances and they were always teaching newcomer classes. Frank was an officer in the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps “Husky” in Flin Flon for a number of years including a period as Commanding Officer.

He was a life-long Saskatchewan Roughriders fan even though he lived in four other provinces. Until recently in Calgary he participated in a number of activities arranged through the Parkinson Association of Alberta including his favourites Dancing Parkinsons YYC at Decidedly Jazz Danceworks with Vicki Willis and Anne Flynn and a singing class with Brian Farrell of Revv52. His engineering analytical side was also positively challenged by participation with others in a U of C Parkinson’s gait thesis project by Alexandra Cihal for Dr. Bin Hu. Data was collected on an iPod strapped to his knee to provide music feedback only when his steps were more than a minimum length – with his always strong walking, he passed with flying colours! Thanks also to Dr. Myhre who believes in laughter as good medicine.

While in Calgary, he especially enjoyed seeing his grandchildren and his eyes would light up for his very recently born great-grandchildren. Frank was a gentle soul who lived his life with great dignity and appreciated all help from other people. He will be missed.

Relatives and friends are invited to a Celebration of Life to be held at Foster’s Garden Chapel, 3220 – 4 Street NW, Calgary, Alberta (across from Queen’s Park Cemetery) on Thursday, October 4, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. Friends are invited to meet at 1:45 p.m. on Saturday, October 13, 2018 at the main entrance to Lakeview Memorial Gardens Cemetery (2850 Dry Valley Road, Kelowna, BC) before an interment ceremony at 2:00 p.m. If friends so desire, memorial donations may be made in Frank’s name, directly to Parkinson Association of Alberta.