Lago Vista, TX- As the sun set on December 9, 2020, Shirley (Mom) completed her journey that affected all our lives. She was known as a scholar, an educator, a teacher, a leader, a friend, and a mother. She was known to us as the person most trusting of our own destiny.
Shirley Ann (Wik) was born December 16, 1936 to Edward and Selma Wik, in Thief River Falls. She grew up on the farm just South of St. Hilaire and was the first of six children. Driving tractor by nine, running bridge tops in her teens, she graduated Lincoln High School and went on to college at Bemidji State. She earned her BS and MS and went into teaching after graduation. She taught in Clearbrook, then briefly in Illinois, and then back in MN, teaching in Eveleth and her first elementary principalship in Thief River Falls.
After a brief first marriage, she took her two sons to Grand Forks where she returned to school to pursue her Doctorate in Philosophy and Education.
She met Robert Pearson (with daughter and son) during that time and it was the beginning of the Brady Bunch years! They married in 1973, and shortly thereafter moved the family to Utah where she began teaching at Weber State College and eventually rekindled her love of educating school children. She became principal of Doxey Elementary in Sunset, Utah. It was during this time she discovered a new love and completed the family by adopting a fifth child into the home.
In 1984 Robert and Shirley moved back home to Minnesota to be near family and the lake cabin she dearly loved. She once again became an elementary principal at Crestwood Elementary in East Grand Forks, where she stayed until her retirement in 1995. She moved to the Lake (Clearwater) shortly after retirement.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Selma.
Shirley (and Robert) are survived by 5 children, Dean (Ann) Pearson of Rowlette, TX, Erin (Glenn) Norberg of Florence, CO, Paul (Michelle) Pearson of Ft. Worth, TX, Eric (Christin Fine) Pearson of Grand Forks, ND and Vu (Catherine) Pearson of Surprise, AZ. Shirley was also a proud Grandmother of 14: Sara, Michael, Conrad, Darren, Nathan, Stephen, Christian, Christina, Taylor, Tucker, Porter, Lauren, Sebastian, and Alexander. Also, of four great-grandchildren: Syris, Esther, Rena, and Dailee. Shirley is also survived by her siblings, Donna, Kay, William (Bill), Linda and Sandy and their families.
After Robert’s passing in 2000, she remarried a few years later to Ed Moore. They spent many good years travelling to different countries, golfing, attending parties, playing bridge and splitting time living in Texas during the winters and at the Lake during the summers. After Ed’s passing in 2013, she continued living in both Texas and Minnesota. She spent time traveling to see her family, playing bridge with her friends and listening to the loons call as they swam by the lake home.
Shirley (Mom) lived a good life…And we are thankful for the time she got to spend with us all.
The Memorial Service will be held Saturday, June 26, 2021 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Clearbrook at 11 am. A small lunch and fellowship will follow, and then burial at Silver Creek Cemetery. After the service, all Shirley’s friends and family are invited out to the Lake Home for visiting and dinner along the shore.

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