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Michael Pearson, 'a trooper's trooper' for 17 years

EMMA BOUTHILLETTE

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Staff Writer

STANDISH — Michael Pearson, who died Tuesday at age 46, took great pride in his work as a Maine State Trooper.

''He was the proudest person you could ever imagine, being a trooper,'' said his mother, Betty Grant.

In 1989, he found his place in law enforcement, with the state police.

''Michael came out of the (Criminal Justice) Academy and worked for me until I retired in 1993,'' said Marcel Drouin, who was his first sergeant. ''Over the four years, he went from raw recruit to seasoned, veteran trooper. He was an excellent trooper. One of the best.''

''It was something that he was very professional at, very good at, and very heartfelt at. I always said he was a trooper's trooper,'' said his brother Jerry Pearson.

He served for 17 years, retiring in 2006 because he had developed brain cancer.

Along the way, his ''brothers'' in the force were there to support him. Nearly 150 troopers turned out to run in the Dempsey Challenge in Lewiston on Oct. 4, a fundraiser for the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing. Their jerseys were emblazoned with the words, ''In Honor of Trooper Mike Pearson.''

Drouin also organized an event in March to bring together a few colleagues. The idea, which began small, turned out to be a gathering of 125 troopers, family members and friends who visited with Mr. Pearson.

''It was a benefit for him and it was also a benefit for his well-being. He saw so many of his former friends. They always remain brothers,'' Drouin said.

Mr. Pearson and his wife, Betsy Pearson, recently celebrated their 17th wedding anniversary.

When they met, it was ''truly love at first sight,'' Betsy Pearson said, and friends described the couple as a prime example of soulmates.

''The good Lord brought them together because he knew he'd need someone special to take care of him,'' his brother said, and that's exactly what she did.

Together, they loved the outdoors. His wife said they would take their camper to Moosehead Lake and spend weekends there. Camping there was something he'd done since childhood, said Mark Pearson, another brother. Together, the brothers would hunt for deer and fowl near their childhood home in Athens.

''He enjoyed life in general and enjoyed a lot of outdoor stuff,'' he said.

His wife said they took many trips to the British Virgin Islands, where Mr. Pearson developed a passion for sailing.

''He loved the oceans and the beaches. He loved to sail and be on the water. It was just one of our safe havens. That was where we spent the joyous part of our lives together,'' Betsy Pearson said.

They shared the expeditions with Mark Pearson and his wife, Becky Pearson.

''He was a very outgoing person,'' Betsy Pearson said. ''He loved to be with his friends and family. I'm very fortunate that we got the time we had together.''

Staff Writer Emma Bouthillette can be contacted at 791-6325 or at:

ebouthillette@pressherald.comPASSAGES

Each day the newsroom selects one obituary and seeks to learn more about the life of a person who has lived and worked in Maine. We look for a person who has made a mark on the community or the person's family and friends in lasting ways.