Rodney "Rod" Pearson, Sr.

Rodney "Rod" Thomas Pearson, Sr., 70, of Keedysville, Maryland, passed from this life on Saturday, November 16, 2019 at his home in Keedysville, Maryland.  He was the beloved husband of Nancy J. Pearson.

Born on December 31, 1948, in Lincoln, Nebraska, he was the son of the late Donald Edwin and Rochelle Elaine (Unkel) Pearson.

Rod grew up with a love for baseball, playing it all day long in addition to playing on several little league teams, and he was also a member of the Montgomery County All Star team as a first baseman.  In his younger years his family took two annual vacations to the Rocky Mountains, Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons where he enjoyed a lot of hiking, fishing and camping.  Rod attended Newport Jr. High and Albert Einstein High School.  During these years he took a few jobs cutting grass, doing yard work and shoveling snow.  After graduating from high school he worked full time at Indian Spring Country Club and was quickly promoted to Club Steward/Purchasing Manager.  He held this position until September of 1971.  Rod then took a position with Atlantic Hotel Supply as an outside sales representative selling food to restaurants and institutions.  After five years with Atlantic Hotel he accepted a similar position with S. Mazzeo & Sons and was extremely successful.  In August of 1977 he was married to his wonderful wife, Nancy, with whom he shared six beautiful children.  In 1978, Rod, along with two longtime friends and associates formed their own wholesale food sales company, POSH Products, which was very successful.  In 1999 he sold his interest in POSH Products and became the General Manager of Imperial Produce in Washington, D.C. until 2000 and then became the Sales Manager of International Gourmet Foods where he retired in February of 2011.  After Rod retired he devoted his time to working on the family farm. Rod was also a member and former President of the Hagerstown Torch Club, life member of the National Rifle Association, and former Deacon and active member of the First Christian Church of Hagerstown.  In 2014 he ran for the office of Washington County Commissioner.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his six children, Dawn Bertch and husband Bryan of Tahoe Vista, CA, Jordan Pearson and husband Scott Jerome of Keedysville, MD, Ashley Bryda and husband Eric of Alexandria, VA, Thomas Best and wife Suzanne of Frederick, MD, Shane Best and wife Amanda of Wakefield, RI, and Rodney Pearson, Jr, of Keedysville, MD. He is also survived by six grandchildren and one brother, Roland J. Pearson of Spring Branch, TX.

The family will receive friends from 6-8PM on Friday, November 22, 2019 at Bast-Stauffer Funeral Home, 7606 Old National Pike in Boonsboro, Maryland. A service celebrating Rodney's life journey will also take place at Bast-Stouffer Funeral Home at 11AM on Saturday, November 23, 2019. Rev. Richard Kroll will officiate.

Interment at Fairview Cemetery in Keedysville will immediately follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to John R. Marsh Cancer Center, 11110 Medical Campus Rd. Suite 129, Hagerstown, MD, 21742.