Nanette Pearson's Obituary
Nanette Pearson, 81, passed away April 5, 2014. She was born in New York, New York to Ivan and Augusta Loew.
She was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force and retired. She was married to Peter J. Pearson who is deceased.
Nanette is survived by her two brothers, step children, nieces, nephews and grandchildren.
Nanette (Nan) Pearson was born in the Bronx, New York, to Ivan and Augusta Loew.
She lived there until 1943. The war was raging and her father was able secure a job
working for the Navy near the Brooklyn Navy yard. A low cost housing development
had just opened in Brooklyn, and since the family lived over an hour away from her
father’s work, they were able to move there. After finishing grade school, Nan went
to Seward Park High School in Manhattan. She rode the subway to and from school
every day for four years. Nan graduated in 1951 and after working for several
months, she entered nurses training at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn. Upon her
graduation, she worked in the psychiatric division of the hospital.
In 1956 her parents had moved to California, as her mother was ill. Nan then also moved
to California in 1957. Nan’s mother died shortly afterward. Nan worked at various
medical groups until 1964 when she joined the Air Force as a 1st Lieutenant. Her
first duty assignment was Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Virginia. While there,
she met the man who, seven years later, she was to marry. Peter Pearson, Nan’s
future husband, was a pilot who flew B-51’s during WWII. He subsequently
was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Pete had just returned from his first
tour in Vietnam at the same time Nan received orders for Evreux-Fauville, France,
about 65 miles from Paris. De Gaulle had pulled France out of NATO and
subsequently, Nan was transferred to Incirlik Air Base in Southern Turkey. In typical
Nan fashion, she drove her 1957 Red Thunderbird from her duty station in France
to Italy where she then put the car on a ship bound for Turkey. Nan then flew to
Turkey to pick up her car. The Air Base was located very close to the Syrian border,
and Nan found the biblical, and crusader history very interesting. After 14 months at
the Air Base, Nan was sent to March Air Force Base in Riverside, California, which
was about 90 miles from where she started her career.
Upon Nan’s return to the states, she and Peter were married in Las Vegas.
Unfortunately Nan was stationed in Northern California, and Peter was stationed in
North Carolina. They both requested to be relocated to Southern California, but
you know the military… They were both sent to Okinawa for two and a half years.
Peter finished his career with the Air Force and they both eventually made it to
Redlands, California. Together they continued to travel the world until 2002 when
Peter died in a motorcycle accident.
Nan carried on with her colorful life traveling and meeting new people for the next
twelve years all while in the driver’s seat of her cherished 1957 Red T-Bird.
Nan would like to thank all of her friends for remembering her, and as she always
ended her conversations, she would like to have one final say of, “Bye for now.”
What’s your fondest memory of Nanette?
What’s a lesson you learned from Nanette?
Share a story where Nanette's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Nanette you’ll never forget.
How did Nanette make you smile?