Janet Eileen Pearson

Janet Eileen Pearson (Junker), age 80, of St. Paul, MN passed away peacefully in her sleep on July 18, 2025. She was born on January 1, 1945, in St. Paul, MN to Anton and Margaret Junker. Preceded in death by her husband, Donald Pearson; siblings, Carol (Bill) Anderson; Bob (Carol) Junker and Marlys (Jim) Jensen. Survived by children, Elizabeth (Michael) Larson, Jennifer Pearson and grand puppy Lily, Cara (Victor) Goines and Swen (Sara) Pearson; grandchildren, Cody Larson, Kallie (Brandon) Tomlyanovich, Corey Larson, Madelyn Pearson and Morgan Pearson; great-grandchildren, Brooks Tomlyanovich and Olivia Tomlyanovich; and many cherished nieces and nephews.
Jan was a lifelong resident of the East Side of St. Paul and a proud graduate of Johnson High School in 1963. She was honored to be part of the Queen's court for the 41st Payne Avenue Harvest Festival. After high school, she worked as a telephone operator for the local phone company.
Jan met Don in the summer of 1965, they were married July 15, 1967. Together, they found their home in the St. Paul/Battle Creek area, where they would raise their family and lived for more than 50 years. Jan dedicated herself to being a stay-at-home mom and was deeply involved in her children's lives. She enjoyed camping trips with Girl Scouts, road trips for softball, basketball, volleyball and hockey tournaments. She loved it all and never missed the opportunity to support her kids and cheer them on. Summers at the family cabin were always filled with fun, laughter, and lasting memories, along with s'mores and apple pies made on the fire.
As her children grew, Jan found joy going to craft sales with her sister Carol, holiday gatherings with family, and getting together at bonfires filled with stories, laughter, while roasting hot dogs and marshmallows. Jan loved tending to her yard and planting flowers, watching the hummingbirds and birds at her bird feeders, baking for the holidays and trying new recipes to showcase her rhubarb that she grew in her backyard.
Jan later went to work at the St. Paul Civic Center and was very proud to be employed by the City of St. Paul. After a period of time, the property changed ownership and became known as the Excel Energy Center. She then was employed by the Minnesota Wild organization. She loved what she did, the people that she got to meet, and the strong relationships she formed with her coworkers. She retired in 2013.
After Jan retired, she joined the YMCA with her cousin. She enjoyed going to swim laps, sit in the sauna and talk about all the Mn Wild hockey players she met. She also enjoyed taking the grandkids with her for a fun YMCA day.
Jan had a close-knit group of friends who shared countless adventures, from local gatherings to travel. These friendships were a treasured part of her life.
Above all, Jan's greatest joy was her family. She loved her children and grandchildren and took every opportunity to spend time with them and support them in every way possible. She very rarely missed a game, concert, school event, field trip, and the opportunity to travel with them to out-of-town tournaments. Jan touched the lives of everyone who knew her. Her legacy is one of devotion, quiet strength, and love. A life deeply rooted in her family and her East Side community.
She will be dearly missed by all who knew her.
A Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, August 24, 2025, from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. A tribute to honor Jan will be at 4:00 p.m. at Wakefield Park Community Building, 1860 Hazelwood Street North, Maplewood, MN 55109. Food and drink will be provided throughout the afternoon.
Please bring stories to share as we honor Janet's life together.