HOWARD ALLEN PEARSON

1929 - 2016

PEARSON, HOWARD ALLEN DR. Dr. Howard Allen Pearson, aged 86, passed away on October 16, 2016, in New Haven. He was born to Harry and Mabel (Holmgren) Pearson on November 4, 1929, in the Panama Canal Zone. The family moved to Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1939. Howard became an Eagle Scout in 1944 and graduated from Lynn English High School in 1947. He enrolled at Dartmouth College and pursued medicine. He met Anne Stark Livingston when they were both working at the Craigville Inn on Cape Cod, and they married on March 10, 1951. He received his M.D. from the Dartmouth-Harvard medical program in 1954. Dr. Pearson joined the U.S. Navy and served as a medical resident at the Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland for eight years. He pursued pediatrics and hematology/oncology at Harvard Medical School and then established the pediatric hematology/oncology program at the University of Florida in Gainesville in 1962. In 1968 he accepted a position at Yale Medical School/Yale New Haven Hospital. He became Chief of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, and then Chairman of Pediatrics in 1973, a position he held for 12 years. He made significant contributions in services and clinical research, particularly for children with thalassemia and sickle cell anemia. In the 1970s, he identified a new condition, which was named Pearson’s Syndrome. He had over 300 peer-reviewed medical publications and wrote several medical textbooks. Toward the end of his Yale pediatric chairmanship in 1986, he was approached by actor/philanthropist Paul Newman about creating a camp for children with cancer. It developed into an adventure for him in 1988 through what became The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. People at camp called him “Doc.” Doc established the medical support at Camp for children with serious illnesses, which was critical to the success and fulfillment of Newman’s idea. In recognition, the camp’s lake is named Pearson Pond in his honor. In addition to being the Founding Medical Director, he was its medical director and on-site physician for the first 14 summers. During his time at Camp, he carved nine totem poles, eight of which survive and can be seen in the camp’s dining hall. The totem poles capture the spirit and magic of the camp and its children, staff and volunteers. Dr. Pearson served as President of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in 1992-93. Through his foresight and leadership, the AAP fast-tracked on preventing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) by recommending infants sleep on their backs, saving thousands of young lives. In 2002, he received the prestigious Howland Award, given by the American Pediatric Society to leaders in academic pediatrics. He became a Professor Emeritus at Yale in 1999. He served on the Board of The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp until 2014. On October 1, 2016, the 1951 Dartmouth class honored him with the “Spirit of ’51 Award.” Dr. Pearson is survived by his wife Anne of 65 years; six children, Stephen (Mary Lou Shefsky) Pearson, David (Paloma) Pearson, Mark (Julieanne) Pearson, Leslie Pearson, Douglas Pearson and Jennifer Pearson; Also, 13 grandchildren: Matthew (Tasha Adams) Pearson, Daniel Pearson, Andrew Marshall, Alexander Pearson, Kathryn Pearson, Sarah Pearson, Annemarie Pearson, Paloma Cristina Pearson, John Pearson, Siobhan Robinson, Sile Robinson, Damon Robinson, Jr., and Seanna Robinson; and five great-grandchildren. Dr. Pearson is also survived by his brother Palmer “Buddy” Pearson, sister Helen (Harry) Nelson, brother Richard (Ann) Pearson, and sister Judy (Mike) Feeney. A memorial service is planned for October 29, 2016, 3:00 p.m. at the Orange Congregational Church, 205 Meeting House Lane, Orange, CT. with full military honors. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Dr. Howard Pearson to The Hole In The Wall Gang Camp, 555 Long Wharf Drive, Suite 1D, New Haven, CT 06511. Arrangements are in care of The Celentano Funeral Home, New Haven. To leave condolence messages, please visit www.celentanofuneralhome.com.