Peter Pearson of Andover Borough ceased to exist on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, due to complications from a severe case of terminal baldness. He was 83.
Peter grew up in Branchville, the son of George and Jean (Eagleson) Pearson.
He was a resident of Andover Borough for more than 57 years during which time he proudly served the citizens of the town by representing them on both the Andover Regional School Board from 1984 to 1996 and as a town councilman from 2002 to 2022.
Peter was a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He worked as a controller of small companies for many years before becoming certified as a school business administrator and serving area school districts for more than 25 years.
He spent his final days at the Karen Ann Quinlan Home for Hospice, where he received the very best possible care.
He is survived by his loving wife, Betty Jean (Huttman); his children, Karen Driscoll Diorio (Mark) of West Jefferson, N.C., Kim Mead (fiancé Brian Johnson) of South Jordan, Utah, Keith Begraft of Sparta and Kristen Wolff (Eric) of Frisco, Texas; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. He was so very proud of them all and loved them all dearly.
He was predeceased by his parents and his brother, Allen T. Pearson II.
A celebration of life will be held at the Andover Borough Senior Center at a future date.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the Karen Ann Quinlan Home for Hospice, your local school district that is always underfunded or a charity of your choice.
In lieu of flowers, friends are asked to instead buy a friend a drink, read a good book, hug someone they love, take a small child fishing or all of the above.
The late Mr. Pearson wrote this glowing obituary himself and is solely responsible for its content.
The Dash
I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on the tombstone
From the beginning ... to the end.
He noted that first came the date of birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years.
For that dash represents all the time
That they spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved them
Know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not how much we own,
The cars ... the house ... the cash.
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.
So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
That can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect
And more often wear a smile,
Remembering this special dash
Might only last a little while.
So when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash ...
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent YOUR dash?
- Linda Ellis