Pearson, Duane R.

Duane R. Pearson, 86, of Iowa City, died Friday, Oct. 26, 2012, at Simpson Memorial Home in West Liberty. Memorial services, with military honors, will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 31, at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City. Burial will be held at a later date at the Rock Island National Cemetery.

Duane was born Feb. 27, 1926, in Davenport, Iowa, the son of Carl and Ethel (Crockett) Pearson. He graduated from high school in Davenport one semester early so he could enlist in the U.S. Army. He served in the amphibious corps in the South Pacific in the Hawaiian Islands and the Philippines. His ship was on its way to Japan when Truman dropped the atomic bomb. He was honorably discharged in 1946, returned to Iowa and attended the University of Iowa on the GI bill, graduating in February 1950 with his BSC degree in accounting. He took a semester of graduate work.

On July 1, 1950, he married Ruth Husa. They spent most of their lives in the Bettendorf area. He worked for the Army in procurement at the Rock Island Arsenal. In 1960, he went to Huntsville, Ala., where he worked for NASA under Wernher von Braun at the Marshall Space Flight Center. In late 1963, he returned to Bettendorf and worked for the Army Armaments and Chemical Command located at the Arsenal. He was a top step CS15. He traveled through the country negotiating with private contractors to manufacture small and large weapons, including tanks, for the Army. Duane retired as chief of the Weapons and Chemical Procurement Division of the Procurement Directorate. He was awarded the Meritorious Civilian Service Award at a ceremony presided over by General Roland Eicher. This is the highest civilian service award presented by the Army.

He and his wife Ruth retired to Sunbird Gulf Resort in Chandler, Ariz., but spent their summers in Rexburg, Idaho. He belonged to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and sang in the choir, doing much solo work. While in Bettendorf he sang with the QuadCities Chamber Music Singers. In 2006, the couple moved to Iowa City to be near their two children. Here they were members of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church and the senior center. He loved playing racquetball, golf, tennis, singing and playing bridge.

His family includes his wife, Ruth; two children, Mark Pearson of Iowa City and Amy Pearson of Iowa City; and grandchildren, Ben Pearson and Helen Northway.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and a brother, Kenneth.

Instead of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in Duane's memory.

Online condolences may be sent for his family through the Web at www.gayandciha.com.

Published OCt. 29, 2012 in The Gazette