SMETHPORT (EC) — Wayne and Mary Lee Pearson’s residence at 1628 East Valley Road, Smethport, was the site of the annual Smith Family Reunion on July 1 that included a celebration of Wayne Pearson’s 90th birthday.
Smith, Hamilton, Schadelbauer families and friends were invited to join the celebration with food and music by Jon Meade, culminating with fireworks at dusk.
Mr. Pearson was born Jan. 17, 1928, in Royersford, the son of John and Wilhelmina Pearson.
He graduated from Royersford High School in 1946. Mr. Pearson continued his education at Ursinus College in Collegeville, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 1950 and a year later received a Master of Science degree in physical chemistry from the University of Delaware.
Following graduation, Mr. Pearson joined the E. I. DuPont deNemors and Co. in Niagara Falls, N.Y., as a technical assistant in sales. The remainder of his 34-year career with DuPont was spent in marketing and business management, principally in Wilmington, Del., culminating as director of marketing for the company’s worldwide polyethylene polymer business.
For 10 years following his retirement from DuPont, Mr. Pearson served as executive director of the Plastics Recycling Foundation. This organization funded research at various U. S. universities to determine any technical and economic feasibility of recycling post-consumer plastics packaging. In addition to organizational duties, he became a world-wide spokesman for the foundation and published several chapters in books about plastics recycling and solid waste management.
After the foundation-funded research was completed, Mr. and Mrs. Pearson chose to retire to Smethport on the Smith family homestead.
Over the years, Mr. Pearson has been active in church and community organizations and events, including president, Unitarian Church, Wilmington; board member, Plastics Recycling Division, Society of Plastics Engineers; chairman, Smethport Sesquicentennial Committee and Smethport Heritage Committee; president, Amherst’s Dance Club in Buffalo, N.Y.; board member, Allegheny National Forest Vacation Bureau; president, Smethport Area Chamber of Commerce; and president, Ball and Chain Dance Club of Bradford.
In addition, Mr. Pearson has written and continues to write letters to the editor of the Bradford Era and Olean Times Herald. In 2010, he began publishing a blog, Wayne’s Word. Besides these writings, he has composed poetry for every event and issue of his entire adult life.
Mr. Pearson has two sons, both of Santa Barbara, Calif.: Dr. Steven (Susan) Pearson and Eric Pearson; and a daughter, Carol (Richard) Schadelbauer of Arlington, Va.; and six grandchildren; two stepsons, David (Diane) Hamilton of Severna Park, Md.; and John Hamilton of Boston, Mass.; and four step-grandchildren.
