William Dean Pearson

Professor William Dean Pearson, Ph.D. died on December 24, 2023, aged 82, in his home in Simpsonville, Kentucky. He was born on December 6, 1941, the day before Pearl Harbor, to Paul C. and Virginia F. Pearson in Moline, Illinois. He was raised in Rock Island, Illinois where he attended public schools graduating from high school in 1959, he then attended Augustana College, and eventually earned a B.S. in Fish and Wildlife Management at Iowa State University in 1964, and both a M.S. and Ph.D. in Fishery Biology at Utah State University in 1967 and 1970. As an undergraduate, during the summers he worked for the Iowa Conservation Commission and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

He was an Assistant Professor of Biology at North Texas State University from 1970-1975 and a Professor of Biology at the University of Louisville in Kentucky from 1975-2014 where, in 2014 he retired as Professor Emeritus. He taught classes in Ecology, Ichthyology, Fisheries Management, and Biospeleology. He also taught Tropical and Marine Ecology classes as a Visiting Professor for Spalding University in Belize for eight years. He published over 30 articles in scientific journals and was most proud of serving as the major professor of 28 graduate students.

He was a member of AFS, AAAS, ASIH, ESA, Trout Unlimited, Louisville Grotto, KSS, & ICS and was both SCUBA and Cave Rescue Certified. For several years he had his own private consulting business, Lake Management Analysts. He consulted for the U.S. Army Core of Engineers, Kentucky Nature Preserves Commission, Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources, Falls of the Ohio State Park, Kentucky Speleofest, and the U.S. Forest Service. He was awarded numerous grants and contracts to study the fishes of the Ohio River and the cave fishes of Kentucky and Indiana, including those of the U.S. National Park Service at Mammoth Cave National Park.

His service to the state of Kentucky led to his being commissioned a Kentucky Colonel by the Governor of Kentucky in 2014. In 2017, he was elected to life membership in the Louisville Grotto and the Kentucky Society of Natural History named him Naturalist of the Year.

His interests included spending time with his cat, reading, gardening, fishing, fly tying, caving, and bird watching. Fly fishing at The Parklands of Floyds Fork at Beckley Creek Park in Louisville was his favorite past time! We will remember him as a devoted and loyal husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend. He made a positive impact on peoples' lives and was always helpful by encouraging his family and others to do their best, seek higher education, be responsible citizens, and be thoughtful individuals.

He was preceded in death by his parents Paul C. and Virginia F. Pearson. He is survived by his dear wife of 47 years, Dr. Betty Juanelle Pearson, Ph.D., daughter Leslie Caracuel (Manuel) & three grandchildren (Nicolas, Noah, Felix (Nina)), son Eric Pearson (Sabrine), sister Nancy Entwistle (Rick), nephew Dr. Warren Entwistle, D.O. (Kristi) & two great nieces, niece Carrie Bond (Eric) & two great nephews, several cousins, and special friends, The Noel's (Mike, Mezetta, Nathan, & Joe). A private family memorial service will be held later.