Centenarian Marion Pearson Honoured on 100th Birthday

Surrounded by family, centenarian Marion Pearson celebrates her 100th birthday at Queensview Retirement Home in Paris on Jan. 11. Pictured with her are (left to right) Ryan Clendening, Emma Clendening, Jamie Pearson, Marion Pearson, Shannon Kemp, Jake Kemp, Alex Kemp, Harry Kemp and Ida Pearson. Visitors flew in from California and Michigan, with others driving from Toronto to celebrate Marion's big day. 

Casandra Turnbull

Managing Editor

There are birthdays - and then there are century birthdays. Marion Pearson’s came with cake, laughter, and a whole lot of love.

Pearson marked her 100th birthday on Jan. 11, celebrating a day early so friends and family could gather at Queensview Retirement Home in Paris. The party felt less like a formal milestone and more like a joyful reunion, with visitors dropping in from across the village of Glen Morris many of whom Marion has known for decades.

Adding to the festivities were special visits from David Bailey, John Bell and Dan Muys, who stopped with dignitary greetings and to help celebrate a life that has quietly touched so many.

Those who know Marion say “quietly” doesn’t mean uninterestingly. In her younger years, she was active on the curling ice in Paris, found creative expression as an artist, and was deeply involved with the Glen Morris Church. She also kept busy through the Women’s Institute and genealogy work, always curious, always connected.

Then there’s the fashion. Marion’s love of style is legendary among family and friends, with Suzanne’s ranking high on her list of favourite shops. That sense of elegance has followed her through the years, earning her a reputation as a centurion of grace and someone who believes looking good and feeling good go hand in hand.

She’s also never shied away from new things. Long before “tech-savvy seniors” became a phrase, Pearson was teaching her grandchildren how to use Apple computers, proving that curiosity doesn’t age out.

Marion was married to her beloved husband Harold Pearson for 73 years, until his passing in 2021. Together, they built a family that now spans two children, three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

At 100, Marion isn’t just marking time, she’s celebrating a century well lived, stitched together with community, creativity, family and unmistakable style.