John Douglas Pearsall

John was a man who made other people happy for a living. That was not a slogan for him. It was how he lived.

He was known for his positive attitude, for working harder than anyone in the room, and for showing up—early, prepared, and smiling—no matter how heavy life felt that day. He believed being punctual was a form of respect. He believed laughter made hard days survivable. And he believed that if you had the ability to help someone, you did it—quietly, without needing credit.

John was selfless to a fault. He put other people's needs ahead of his own—always.

He absolutely loved the game of golf. But even more than the game, he loved what it gave him: time with his friends, his family, and—most importantly to him—his sons. Some of our best memories were built between tee boxes and greens, walking fairways together, telling stories, laughing at bad shots, and never rushing the moment.

In the summer of 2026, our family will host a Celebration of Life for John at Flushing Valley Country Club—his home away from home. It feels right to gather in the place he spent so much of his life making others feel welcome, valued, and happy.

John is survived by his sons, Jason Pearsall (wife, Jehone) and Jordan Pearsall (fiancée, Mary Kate Kirksey). His sons were what he was most proud of—and he never missed an opportunity to tell anyone who would listen.

He also leaves behind his long-time partner, Elizabeth (Liz) Chambos, the woman he lovingly called his "angel from heaven." John loved dancing with Liz—even if the dance floor was a parking lot—going to church together, and working side by side on home-improvement projects. In the simple, ordinary moments of life, Liz was his joy and his home.

John was preceded in death by Tammy Pearsall, whom he also loved deeply, and he is survived by his step-sons, Aaron Gaertner (wife, Katie), Ben Gaertner (wife, Amanda), and Adam Gaertner (wife, Ashley).

He is also survived by his sisters—whom he adored, and who loved him just as much—Linda Resmberg, widow of John Resmberg; Carol Hertzler (husband, Glenn); and Dianna Pearsall (long-time partner, Tom Murphy).

He was the son of Tomiko Pearsall and Gordon Douglas Pearsall. His mother worked extremely hard to raise their family, and he always credited his work ethic to the values she instilled in him while working three jobs to support them.
Family was not something John talked about. It was something he worked for.
He worked hard so his sons could have better opportunities than he ever had. He gave what he had—sometimes more than he had—because helping others mattered to him more than comfort.

John had an amazing sense of humor. He was silly. He was quirky. He was uniquely himself. He loved Michigan football and loved telling stories about time spent with the Schembechler family. He treasured his years in the Theta Kai fraternity and remained deeply connected to his college brothers and his high-school friends—many of whom stayed close for his entire life.

He loved stories. He loved telling them. And he loved remembering moments with family more than any accomplishment.

John was stubborn. He could be grumpy. But he always meant well. And underneath it all, he was always—always—putting others first.

He was an exceptional father.

He coached his sons' baseball teams and taught his sons how to play golf. He played with them every chance he got. But more importantly, he taught them how to live: to love their families and spouses openly, to say it every day, to be kind and generous to others, and to never forget that success means very little if you don't take care of the people around you.

John built his career around people.

He spent most of his life as a golf course general manager, creating places where others could gather, laugh, compete, and belong. During a brief time away from golf operations, he became a Platinum Producer at Flagstar Bank as a mortgage banker—because whatever John did, he did it with discipline, integrity, and heart.
But none of that is what defined him most.

What defined him most was the way he made people feel when they worked beside him. He made you feel like you were part of something that mattered. Like you were part of a winning team. Like no obstacle was too big and no problem couldn't be outworked—if you stayed together and kept showing up.