Frank W. Pearson

Frank W. Pearson, 85, died Monday, Dec. 17, 2012, at Mercy Iowa City. Funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 21, at the West Branch United Methodist Church. Visitation will be held 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Henderson-Barker Funeral Home in West Branch. Burial will be in the West Branch Cemetery.

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.hendersonbarkerfuneralhome.com.

A memorial fund has been established.

Frank Wendell Pearson was born July 2, 1927, in West Branch, the son of Frank L. and Mary Ethel Fawcett Pearson. He was a graduate of West Branch High School in 1946 and attended Chillicothe Business College in Missouri for two years. He was a U.S. Navy Veteran serving in World War II.

On Aug. 4, 1952, he was united in marriage to the former Betty Tomlinson in Mason City, Iowa, she died Jan. 6, 1997. He later married Wilma Belitz on Nov. 14, 1998. He lived most of his life in West Branch, moving to Tipton for several years before making his home in Iowa City.

Frank had been the owner/manager of the West Branch Telephone Company for over 32 years, selling the business in November 1984.

He was a member of the West Branch City Council for seven years, City Planning and Zoning Commission for many years, United Methodist Church, life member of the Independent Telephone Pioneer Association and the Chauncey Butler American Legion Post #514, West Branch.

Survivors include his wife, Wilma of Iowa City; one daughter, Debbie (Gary) Spratt of Oxford; two grandchildren, Justin (Tasha) Spratt and Jenna (Bryon) Gattas; brother, Joe (Zoe) Pearson of Ann Arbor, Mich.; and two great-grandchildren also survive.

Also surviving are two stepchildren, Becky (Al) Paustian of Tipton and Robert (Eva) Belitz of Wilton; numerous stepgrandchildren; and stepgreat-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty; sister, Phyllis Moershel; stepson, Joel Belitz; and stepdaughter and son-in-law, Kay and Dick Chambliss.

Published in The Gazette Dec. 19, 2012.