August 26, 2002
Contact: Robert Lowery (509-963-1487/fax 509-963-2301/e-mail: loweryr@cwu.edu)
ELLENSBURG, Wash. - Dr. John Pearson, professor emeritus of physical education at Central Washington University, passed away Saturday, Aug. 24, at his Ellensburg home with his family at his side. For the past 18 months, he had been battling Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
A Weiser, Idaho, native, Pearson, 65, joined the school’s faculty in 1964. During his 34 years at CWU, Pearson, along with his teaching responsibilities, was involved with coaching three sports: football, where he served as an assistant coach; baseball, for which he was head coach; and as head volleyball coach for eight years, ending with the 1995 season.
During an interview, Pearson once said: “I was really happy to get the coaching job here (at CWU). I’ve always wanted to coach on the college level and Central has a good athletic program.”
Pearson’s volleyball squads won 187 of 310 matches and advanced to the national tournament once. In addition, he directed CWU volleyball summer camps and the Ellensburg Volleyball Club, from 1985 through 1988.
A frequently published author, Pearson wrote articles on a variety of subjects, including intramurals, basketball conditioning and elementary school aquatics. Pearson was included in the 1979 edition of “Who’s Who in Education.”
Pearson earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Idaho, Moscow; master’s degree at Idaho State University (ISU), Pocatello; and Ph.D. from the University of Oregon, Eugene.
Prior to joining the CWU faculty, Pearson was a professor at ISU. A three-sport athlete in high school, he also played amateur and semi-pro baseball with the Weiser Prospectors.
His first coaching job was with the football, basketball and baseball teams at Midvale (Idaho) High School, where he decided to pursue a coaching career.
He went on phased retirement from CWU at the end of the 1999 winter quarter.
Services for Pearson will be held Thursday, Aug. 29 at 11 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Brick Road.
