Lonnie Wilder Pearson, Jr.

Lonnie Wilder Pearson, Jr., age 84, died January 4, 2017, at Tennessee State Veteran’s Home following a long, courageous battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Funeral Services will be conducted at 2:30 P.M., Sunday, January 8, 2017 in the Eureka United Methodist Church, Forked Deer, Tennessee with burial to follow in the Forked Deer Cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday, January 8, 2017 from 1:00 – 2:30 P.M. in the Eureka United Methodist Church. Lonnie Wilder Pearson, Jr. was born August 9, 1932, son of Lonnie Wilder Pearson, and Cynthia Louise Scott Pearson, in Brownsville, Tennessee. He was graduated from Haywood High School and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he met Norma, his wife of fifty-five years. Wilder served his country in the United States Army stationed in Tacoma, Washington, during the years 1955-57, where he received special commendation for his diligence and discretion as cryptographer in the Signal Corps. He lived his life in the Forked Deer community as a member of Eureka Methodist Church. He served as District Lay Leader of the United Methodist Church and delivered inspirational sermons to churches in West Tennessee and North Mississippi, as well as, ministered to prisoners in Fort Pillow Prison. He served on the Board of Directors of Gates Banking and Trust Co. for over forty years. He was a lifelong farmer and steward of his land on which he developed early conservation practices. A devoted husband, father and grandfather, Wilder Pearson leaves a wonderful legacy of faith and love to his wife, Norma; Forked Deer, Tennessee, his sons, John Wilder Pearson (Denise), Brownsville, Tennessee and Adrian Scott Pearson (Robin), Nashville, Tennessee; and grandchildren, Andrew Wilder, Rebecca Louise, William Scott, and John Wilder. He leaves this same legacy of faith and love to others whose lives have been touched greatly by his. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to: Eureka United Methodist Church, 6773 Tibbs-Forked Deer Rd, Gates, TN 38037 Forked Deer Cemetery, c/o Keith Warren, 6112 Forked Deer Rd., Gates, TN 38037 Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, pdf.org