Arla Mae Pearson

Arla Mae (Stevens) Pearson

May 20, 1925 - Jan. 11, 2020

CAMBRIDGE, Neb. — Arla Mae (Stevens) Pearson was born on May 20, 1925, to Lisle and Mildred (Henderson) Stevens on a farm north east of Cambridge. She attended elementary school at Red Top School, Rural District No. 73 and graduated from Cambridge High School in 1942.

Arla Mae taught in rural area schools for three years. In May of 1945, she traveled to Alameda, Calif., where her high school sweetheart, Donald W. Pearson was in the Navy and stationed at Alameda Air Base. They were married on May 2, 1945. After Don shipped out to the Pacific Theater, Arla Mae returned to Cambridge and worked for Cole Grocery. Upon being discharged from the Navy, they moved to a farm and later moved to Cambridge.

Two children, Douglas Ray and Donna Leota, blessed their home. Family and church were their joys. Arla Mae worked for Hiatt Cafe, Thorndike General Store and the First National Bank of Cambridge. She was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Cambridge, United Methodist Women, Martha Circle, volunteered at the American Legion Auxiliary Thrift Shop, was Secretary for the Cambridge Senior Center, and Board Member for the Cambridge Museum and Cambridge Library.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Don; parents, Lisle and Mildred Stevens; infant sister, Verna; grandson, Robert Barbour; and brother-in-law, Dale Pearson.

Arla Mae is survived by her son, Doug (Sharon) Pearson, daughter, Donna (Tom) Barbour; granddaughters, Dawn (Anthony) Kaiser, Diaa (Dave) Stanley and Tracy Barbour. She is also survived by great-grandchildren, Matthew Pearson, Phoebe Kaiser, Ben Stanley, Autumn, Tyson and Brittany Kurtzer, Victoria Barbour, Majesta Barbour, and Christian Miller; and great-great-grandson, Colton Miller. Also left to cherish her memory are her sisters-in-law, Donna Pearson, sons, David and Dan Pearson and family and Belva Edwards, sons, Jason and Richard and family.

Memorial services will be Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020, at 2 p.m., at the Trinity United Methodist Church in Cambridge.  A private inurnment will be done by the family.  Memorials may be left to the Trinity United Methodist Church. 

Lockenour-Jones entrusted with arrangements for Arla Mae.