Irene Louise Pearson was born Irene Louise Hutchinson on January 30, 1930 in Terre Haute, Indiana to Mr. and Mrs. William and Ersie Hutchinson. Terre Haute is where she spent her formative years including attending and graduating from Booker T. Washington Elementary, Woodrow Wilson Jr. High School, and Wiley High School.

Soon after graduation, and at the invitation of her aunt, Ora Woods, Irene moved to Chicago, Illinois, and attended Peter's Business College. While there, she soon was offered and accepted a position to work for Al Benson, one of Chicago's top deejays at the time. While in Chicago, she met, fell in love with and married, Ira D. Pearson. God graced and blessed her and Ira with 61 years of marriage. Their blessed union produced two sons, Kevin Derrick Pearson and Vince Darryl Pearson. In 1953, not too long after relocating to Chicago, Irene joined Liberty Baptist Church, where she was a faithful and devoted member and dedicated to her Sunday School class.

Irene was a loving and devoted wife, mother, and homemaker. She was always involved with her sons' schools and extracurricular activities, including being active in the PTA and volunteering to be a den mother when they were in Cub Scouts. She was also involved with community activities, especially her neighborhood Block Club. She was always blessed to have good, loving, and attentive neighbors. Wherever Irene lived, people commented about her warm heart and smile and how she was an inspiration to so many people.

Mom loved all her extended family. She looked forward to family reunions, often being the first one who paid and also ensuring her immediate family all had tee-shirts. She never missed one until she had an illness in 2018. Also, she always remembered everyone's birthday and/or anniversary by sending them a card and everyone especially looked forward to receiving their Christmas card from her. In fact, she always kept an assortment of cards and stamps ready at a moment's notice.

Irene was renowned for her cooking skills and especially her baking which included her homemade rolls and biscuits, rum pound cakes, coconut cakes, chess pie, sweet potato pie, and many other delicious desserts. Over the years, many friends and family members were lucky enough to indulge in them. Her sons eagerly anticipated receiving her scratch-baked cakes when they were in college and afterward. No one ever turned down a dinner invitation at the Pearsons.

Everyone also looked forward to her and Ira's grape jelly that came from the grapes they harvested together from the family grapevines in their backyards.

In 2018, Irene was persuaded to give up the cold and snow of Chicago and relocate to the warmth and sun of Sacramento, California. She settled in quite well at her new residence, Greenhaven Place, where she met new people, developed new friendships, and looked forward to Thursday afternoon bingo. Soon after moving, Irene joined, completed her new membership class, and then united with St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church where she became a devoted member of her Sunday School class. She often shared how much she really missed Chicago and her friends, but frequently said she liked living in Sacramento and meeting new people.

Irene transitioned to be with the Lord on Saturday, April 25, 2020. She was with her loving family as she transitioned. She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and her sisters Eva Smith, Addie Nelson, and Dorothy Bradford; brothers Albert Ward, Wallace Hutchinson, and William Mitchell Hutchinson, Jr., "Billy."

Irene leaves to cherish her memory: two loving sons Kevin and Vince; three loving grandsons, Cameron, Ellis, and Evan Pearson; sisters Lucy Lewis and Shirley Roberts,and her special niece Annabelle Garcias; daughter-in-law Donna Cooper Pearson; a multitude of nieces and nephews; and godchildren Jeffrey Coopwood, Brenda Vance Paschal, Meyosha Smiley, Nicole, and Vattel Cherry, and DeWayne and Clinton Davis, and a host of good friends.

In place of flowers and plants, the family would ask that you please donate to the St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church Senior Housing Fund on Irene Pearson's behalf. The donations will go to help build a senior housing facility. Please send any donations to P.O. Box 5260, Sacramento, CA 95817.