NELL PEARSON

PEARSON Nell Mellott Pearson Nell Mellott Pearson was known for her sweet and generous heart, her remarkable skills in the kitchen, her elegant style, her dedication to her country, and most of all, her love for her family. Nell was born November 26, 1916 in Big Cove Tannery, Pennsylvania, the eldest daughter in a family of nine children. She attended a one-room schoolhouse not far from where she grew up. In the mid-1930s, she enrolled in business school in York, Pennsylvania, working in nearby Harrisburg for several years thereafter. When she was offered a job at the Farm Credit Administration in Washington, DC in 1939, she hesitated before accepting. As she crossed the Susquehanna River by train, she wondered whether she had made the right decision, but the majority of her wonderful life, as she described it, began with that move. In the summer of 1941, Nell and two of her girlfriends took a trip, driving across the United States in a 1930's roadster, stopping in 28 states and Mexico. She fell in love with Carmel and Capistrano in California and always said, even after much European travel later in life, that San Francisco was one of the most beautiful cities in the world. In 1943, she joined the armed forces, the women's branch of the United States Coast Guard, known as the SPARS. Very soon thereafter, while stationed in Saint Augustine, Florida, she met her future husband, a Coast Guard lieutenant, Helmer Sheppard Pearson. They were married on June 28, 1945 in a small church near the ocean. At the time of her wedding, Nell was still on active duty, stationed in Alexandria, Virginia. The bride and groom spent part of their honeymoon at the Morrison House on Washington Street in Old Town. As a military wife, Nell moved with her husband for each new posting, and because he was a Coast Guardsman, they always lived near the sea. Between 1946-50, the couple had three children, each born in a different city. Living in Cape May, New Jersey in the early 1950s, however, proved so enjoyable that Nell and her husband purchased a summer house there after he retired from the service in the 1970s. At a time when many women did not work outside the home, Nell was an inveterate volunteer, spending many hours serving others. In the late 1950s, she devoted her time to the Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen's Club located in the historic Morrison and Clark mansions at the corner of 10th and L Streets, NW, in Washington, DC. She served as its president for several years, as she also served the Coast Guard Wives' Club several times. While her husband was stationed in Naples, Italy from 1960-63, Nell was a "Gray Lady,' a volunteer at the Naval Hospital. It was also during that time, in 1961, that she represented all the military services from Naples at a conference of hospital volunteers in Germany. Over the years, Nell spent many happy days with her beloved family at the house in Cape May. Her favorite spot was her rocking chair on the big porch where countless breakfasts, cocktails, and conversations were enjoyed by all. Nell always said that if one were going to do something, one should do it with grace. Her entire life was a testament to that belief. Nell passed away on March 9, 2017 with several family members by her side. She was a remarkable lady, loved by virtually everyone she met. At the time of her death, she was a 50 plus-year member of the Eastern Star, a charter member of The Women's Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, and retained her membership in the Corinthian Yacht Club of Cape May. Nell is survived by two brothers, Alan and Dale, and sisters, Cleo Donahue and Sharon Glazier. She is also survived by her three children, Helmer S. Pearson (Gail), of Sharpsburg, Maryland, Lynn Pearson Russell (Bill) of Alexandria, Virginia, and Vice Admiral Clifford Pearson, USCG (Ret.) (Judy), of Silver Spring, Maryland, six grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. She will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery with her husband at a later date. Contributions in her memory may be made to the United States Coast Guard Academy Alumni Association, 47 Mohegan Avenue, New London, Connecticut 06320.She will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery with her husband at a later date. Contributions in her memory may be made to the United States Coast Guard Academy Alumni Association, 47 Mohegan Avenue, New London, Connecticut 06320.