Arla Mae Pearson

GLADSTONE — Arla Mae Pearson, 89, of Gladstone passed away on Sunday, February 23, 2025 at Christian Park Village in Escanaba. She was born March 23, 1935 in Escanaba and was the daughter of Hilding and Lyli (Erickson) Johnson. She graduated from Gladstone High School in the class of 1954 and later attended nursing school in Chicago. The former Arla Johnson married Don Pearson and together they raised three children, Don, Philip, and Kaarina.

Arla was employed as a nurse at Methodist Hospital in Minneapolis and later for Woodstock Hospital in Woodstock, Illinois. Arla and Don lived in Deephaven, Minn. before returning to Arla’s hometown of Gladstone in 2014. She was a member of First Lutheran Church in Gladstone and loved the simple things in life and spending time with family.

Arla is survived by sons, Philip Pearson of Gladstone, Don (Gail) Pearson of Chicago, Ill.; grandson, Donny (Paulina) Pearson of San Francisco, Calif.; sisters, June (Dr. Rafi) Rafiullah of Racine, Wis., Greta Artzen of Escanaba, Karin (Greg) Meeks of Negaunee, Linda (Keith) Sengstock of Princeton, Wis. and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents and husband she was preceded in death by daughter Kaarina Pearson, sister Inga Hagen, and brother Richard Johnson.

Visitation will be held from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday, July 12 at First Lutheran Church in Gladstone. U.P Nurses Honor Guard service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the First Lutheran Church with funeral services to follow with Rev Elizabeth Daniels officiating. Burial will take place in the Fernwood Cemetery in Gladstone. The Anderson Funeral Homes of Escanaba and Gladstone are assisting the Pearson family with the arrangements and online condolences can be sent to the family at www.andersonfuneralhomes.net.