Peggy Pearson

With incredibly sad hearts, Peggy (Reiss) Pearson, age 75 born to Frank and Emma Reiss on November 30, 1948, passed away on September 21, 2024, at The Anaconda Community Hospital with her loving family by her side.      

Peggy grew up in Anaconda, attended Saint Paul and Saint Joseph grade school. She was a Handmaid of the Alter and in her Junior High years she was a Candy Striper at the Nursing Home. She graduated from Anaconda Senior High school in 1967. She worked at Bill’s Drive-In during her high school years and that is where she met her future husband, Gary Pearson. 

After graduation she then went to work in the office at the Anaconda Job Corp for a short time and in 1968.  She went to work for J C Penney’s in the office for 14 years and then became Catalog Supervisor for 10 years. Peggy was there 24 years prior to the store closing. Peggy won numerous awards for introducing the Catalog “In Store” display program which spread throughout the district and the company. She was one of the last employees to leave the building the day Penney’s closed the doors for the last time in 1992.

Peggy married Gary Pearson of 53 years on May 23,1970 and from that union they had one daughter, Sherie. Peggy then continued with her office/bookkeeping career working for other businesses:  Wal-Mart, ITEX, JD Furniture, Joe’s Place, Big Jims, AFFCO, Anaconda Professional Taxes and Head Start, working in and out of the home. Peggy retired from Head Start after 9 years on May 23,2014.

Four years after Gary and Peggy married, in 1974 Peggy worked with her husband to open his “Dream Business” Rainbow Sporting Goods while working a full-time job she held at the time. Peggy also co-managed their business with her husband Gary while working her jobs. They opened the doors to their business on April 20,1974 and they continued to work it together for 49 years until Gary’s death in 2023. Peggy continued to run the business every day until she was diagnosed with leukemia, exactly 3 months to the date of her husband’s death. This news then forced her to close the business off and on for treatment. Gary and Peggy’s goal was to celebrate “ 50” years in business. This celebration did indeed happen on April 20, 2024, in honor of Gary with the help of their daughter Sherie, grandson Carsten, son-in-law Guy and niece Gail Roberts. Gary was with us “ in spirit “ on that special 50th Anniversary Day.

Peggy enjoyed fishing, archery hunting, camping, picnicking and taking rides in the mountains with her husband Gary. She also enjoyed traveling all over Montana with her family to watch her grandson, Carsten play hockey games as well as baking, reading novels, yard work, taking evening walks and spending the day going on shopping trips with her daughter, Sherie. Peggy loved her family and always put their needs before her own. She was a very caring and selfless person.

Peggy is survived by her daughter Sherie, Son-in-Law Guy Quam and grandson Carsten (who is very dear and near to her heart) by her sister Elaine Thomas, Darlene Roberts, Brother Lester (LaGay) Reiss, Brothers-in-law Greg (Geri) Pearson, Jim Pearson and Scott Pearson, Sisters-in-law Sue (Bob) Carroll, Chrissy Tipp, Jayne (Mike) Bailey, Anne Wilson, Nancy Reiss and numerous nieces and nephews.

Peggy was preceded in death by her husband Gary, parents Emma and Frank Reiss, Mother-in-law Lorraine Johnson, Step Father-in-law Pat Johnson, Father-in-Law Jim Pearson, brothers: Ken Reiss and Dave Reiss, Sister-in-law-Carol Reiss and Brothers-in-law, Bill Thomas and Bob Roberts. 

Many people deserve a huge “Thank You” for all the help, support and offers of help during Peggy’s struggle with the loss of Gary and her Cancer. Thank you to:  Dr. Nathan Cook, Dr. Natalie Como, Dr. Mark Ochenrider, Dr. Shawn and all their staff. Oncology doctors:  Dr. James Hueftle, Dr. Linda Ries, Missoula Oncology and Dr. Fehir, Wyoming Oncology and all their Staff. Thank you for all the support from family and friends and to the many customers who left their names and phone numbers if Peggy needed any kind of help or rides to her doctor’s appointments.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30am on Saturday, October 12, 2024 at Holy Family Church, 217 W Pennsylvania St., Anaconda. A Visitation will begin at 9:30 am before Mass begins. There will be a luncheon in the Hunthausen Center of Holy Family Catholic Church to follow. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or to Saint Peter’s Catholic Church Restoration Project or you can donate to the luncheon fund following the funeral at the Holy Family Catholic Church 

Rest in Peace Mom/Nana. We love you and will never forget you.

Longfellow Finnegan Riddle Funeral Home has been privileged to care for Peggy and her family.