Nils "Butch" Pearson

Nils Alexander “Butch” Silliman Pearson, 78, of Town of Hill, Wisconsin, passed away Thursday, November 5, 2020, at the Homeplace in Dorchester, Wisconsin. He was born February 24, 1942, to Henry and Louise (Lung) Pearson.

After graduating from the Naval Academy and marrying Brenda Eklund in December 1964, he finished flight school in Pensacola, flew H3’s (helicopters) and served 2 tours in Viet Nam. Nils and Brenda had two sons that followed him around the Pacific: San Diego, Monterey (where he earned his Master’s in Meteorology), Guam and Hawaii. He retired in Kauai in 1984, and began a new chapter of his life unencumbered by marriage and children.

After teaching on board ship for a few years, he made it back to his hometown of Newtown, PA where he rekindled a high school romance with Margaret “Peg” Hentz who he married on July 11, 1987. They spent several years together in Newtown, before moving to Pearson Lake in Town of Hill where Nils had been planning to retire for decades.

They both joined the Ogema Lions and the Book club at the Ogema Library. Nils helped build the Ogema Depot and the Larkin school replicas and helped organize the annual Ogema Christmas Tree Festival and Pancake supper. He also participated with the VFW in honoring other veterans.

Nils and Peg found a community of Quakers in the Northcentral Wisconsin Worship Group, part of Northern Yearly Meeting. They led Couples Enrichment retreats at a popular annual summer gathering for Quakers in the U.S. and Canada. Nils also was socially conscious and active in justice issues, including visiting death row inmates, caring for the environment and racial justice, loving, worshipping with and visiting their extended LGBTQ family, and promoting love and peace — through letter-writing, singing, and laughter.

Nils had a lifelong passion for figuring out how things worked. He built his own TV though it didn’t work for long. He liked to tinker and fixed electronic and mechanical things like home appliances, computers, and engines. He raised, chickens, rabbits, bees, and ducks, but never got the pig he always joked about. He worked as a handyman in his retirement and his card said Fix All, Do All, Repair All and his family would say Know All.

A part of his spirit was his sense of humor that flowed throughout his life. He showed us how to grow old gracefully and with laughter. He had a real zest for life.

Survivors include his first wife, Brenda (Eklund) Pearson; his two sons, Eric Pearson and Daniel Pearson; his stepsons, David Brock and Joshua Brock; 5 granddaughters, Sienna Pearson, Abigail Pearson, Lucy Brock, Vivian Brock, and Charlotte Brock; sister, Alice Pearson; and brother, Peter Pearson.

Nils is preceded in death by his loving wife, Peg Pearson; his sister, Katherine; and his parents.

Nils chose to be cremated and the family will hold a Celebration of Life at The Family Homestead in early July. Contact Eric Pearson 619-799-4641 for more info. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Friends Committee on National Legislation at https://act.fcnl.org/donate/donate/. Heindl-Nimsgern Funeral Home is assisting the family.