Robert Wayne Pearson

1941 - 2024

Robert Wayne Pearson, 82, died after a lengthy battle with Parkinson's on June 16, 2024, in Alexandria, Virginia. Born September 30, 1941 in Tremont, Mississippi, he was the son of the late Rosa Eudene McTune Pearson and Luster Hugh Pearson of Tremont, Mississippi. He worked in the International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce for thirty-seven years. In that time, he rose to become the Director of the Office of Planning, Coordination and Resource Management. Described by supervision as a "trade development linchpin", he oversaw as many as five hundred reports and was a tireless promoter of U.S. exports. He led the President's Export Council and made sure that U.S. Government contracts were extended and bid upon in a fair way. He made his way from humble beginnings first in rural Mississippi and then in Zion, Illinois. His schoolteacher mother instilled values of honesty and hard work and steered him to Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, Illinois which he attended on scholarship and graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in economics. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity at Lake Forest and his hard work in the classroom occurred alongside his athletic talent as a freshman starting forward and leading scorer on the Lake Forest basketball team. He continued his education earning a master's degree in economics from the University of Maryland that was followed by his first job as an economics instructor at Goucher College before joining the U.S. Commerce Department. Known as "Bob", he enjoyed traveling the world with close friends and gardening and was often welcoming of friends and visitors. He was an astute judge of character and his quiet wisdom and insight inspired trust and built sincere and caring relationships. He is preceded in death by his beloved wife of fifty years, Trudy Pearson, and is survived by his grateful family: son, Robert August Pearson, daughter in-law, Desiree Castillo Pearson, and grandsons Walker August Pearson and Wilder August Pearson. A memorial service and celebration of his life will be held at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 228 South Pitt Street, Alexandria, Virginia, on Saturday, July 27, 2024 at 1 p.m. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to The St. Paul's Foundation, 228 South Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.