Patricia Smith Peirson

Patricia (Pat) Smith Peirson of Forest Lake, Minnesota passed away on Monday, February 13th, 2023 at the age of 95, surrounded by family. She was born on August 10th, 1927 in Detroit Michigan where she grew up with the love of three brothers, parents, aunts and uncles. A cottage on Union Lake was a beloved Smith family gathering place for her family and all their children to meet, swim, boat and play games.

Pat graduated from Albion College with a BA Teaching degree. She taught school in the Detroit area for four years before starting a family. She substitute taught in Farmington Hills and Metamora, Michigan as her children became more independent. Pat also worked as a realtor and a bank teller, and was a frequent volunteer at schools, church, elections and in her community. Pat loved to help and always looked for the good in people. Pat and her husband Bob, enjoyed rural lake life in Metamora and attended a Christian Science church in Franklin and then Oxford, Michigan, where she became First Reader. After retirement, they moved to Colorado Springs and Denver, Colorado, to be closer to family. In 2019, Pat moved to Forest Lake to be closer to her Minnesota family.

Pat lived a wonderful life with many adventures, overcoming many challenges, including the Depression, WWII, and the early death of her mother due to Parkinson’s disease. She raised her children with frequent get-togethers with her extended family of parents, brothers/wives and their children. She was loving and adored her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She and Bob were married for 62 years. They enjoyed Square and Round Dancing in Michigan and Colorado, and traveling the world with her brothers and their wives.

Pat is preceded in death by her parents; husband Bob; brothers Robert and Richard Smith; sisters-in-law Kassy and Pat Smith; son-in-law John Newman, and nephew William Smith.

Pat is survived by her brother Ken Smith; sister-in-law Beverly Smith; her children Nancy Newman, Paul (Holly) and Mark (Andrea) Peirson; many nieces and nephews; her grandchildren Jared (Len) Newman, Jeff (Anne) Newman, James Newman, Jessica (Michael) Byrd, Sean (Kelsey) Peirson, Eric (Kassie) Peirson, Jennifer (Jerry) Proesel, Abigail (Matt) Gryniewski, Bethany (Kevin) Oberg; great-grandchildren Brooke (Bryce) Nilson, Erica (Jake) Hansen, Jace and Keene and Arbor Gryniewski, John and Emily Newman, Embrie and Jack Peirson, Henry Newman, Jamie Byrd; and great-great-grandchildren Peyton and Owen Nilson.

The family would like to thank Amira Choice of Forest Lake’s wonderful staff for the loving care they showed Pat during her time living there.