John W. Pearson, 75, of Rockford, Iowa, died Saturday, February 10, 2024, at the Floyd County Memorial Center.
A visitation will be held from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. on Monday, February 19, 2024, at Zion Lutheran Church, 805 E. Main Ave., Rockford. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, at the church with Pastor Bob Scheurer officiating. Interment will follow at Riverside Cemetery in Rockford.
John William Pearson was born on December 19, 1948, in Waterloo, Iowa, to William Boyd and Maxine Jane (Trunkey) Pearson. He was the older of two sons. He was a resident of LaPorte City, Iowa, until adulthood. His grandfather started the Agriculture program in the schools and later Black Hawk Seeds became the family business. John was baptized at St. Paul United Methodist Church. He graduated from LaPorte City High School with the class of 1967. He enjoyed participating in football, wrestling, track, and Boy Scouts. He held the school record in shotput and qualified for the state track meet. John attended Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, where he participated in football and track. John was a four-year letter winner and a member of the 1968 Iowa Conference Championship Football team. He was a resident of Cotta House which provided the basis of life-long friendships. He graduated in 1971 with a BA degree in physical education.
While at Wartburg John met his future wife, Jean Trettin. They were united in marriage on November 21, 1970, at Zion Lutheran Church in Rockford. This union was blessed with three sons — Aaron, Paul, and Alex.
John taught eight years in the Rudd, Rockford, Marble Rock Community School District beginning at the Marble Rock Junior High and then at Rockford Senior High. He taught social studies, physical education, and psychology as well as coaching football, wrestling, and track, and served as the school’s athletic director In 19979 he resigned to engage in pork production with family at H. E. Trettin, Inc. John returned to coaching football during the years his sons were in high school and continued for ten more years.
John was a devoted Christian. He was confirmed as a member of Zion Lutheran Church where he remained active. He served in many offices on the church council, as a Sunday School teacher, and instructor of the Bethel Bible Series.
Always a community minded individual he served twelve years on the RRMR School Board. This included as board president during the years when the school burned and rebuilt. He was a 50-year member of the Rockford Lion’s Club, Floyd County Farm Bureau Board, Rockford Light Plant board, and Riverside Cemetery board. One of his greatest passions was the Boy Scout program where he served as Cubmaster, Den Leader, Webelos Leader, and Scoutmaster, and Unit Committee Chairman. He enjoyed watching many of these youth become Eagle Scouts including his own three sons and more recently his three grandsons. He also served as a youth coach for the summer baseball program.
John enjoyed golfing, fishing, turkey hunting, and spending time at his grandchildren’s events. He loved his family and friends, his church, and his community. He was a registered donator and gave the gift of tissue donation as a final contribution to benefit others.
Those left to cherish his memory are Jean, his wife of 53 years, his three sons and their spouses — Aaron and Elizabeth Pearson, Paul and Steph Pearson, Alex and Alison — all of Rockford; five grandchildren — Joshua, Matthew, Emma, Titan, and Abigail Pearson; nieces, nephews, cousins, and Jean’s siblings and their families, and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Joel Pearson.
Fullerton Schumburg Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 302 West Main, Rockford, Iowa 50468 641-756-3311, www.Fullertonfh.com
