Royce Pearson

Royce Pearson, age 65, passed away on Tuesday, July 21, 2020 while a resident of Bethel Lutheran Home.  

There will be a private family memorial service at Rustand-Weiland Funeral Chapel.  For those who cannot attend, the service will be livestreamed at 11 AM on Saturday, July 25th on the Rustand-Weiland Funeral Chapel Facebook page.  Online condolences can be sent at www.weilandfuneralchapel.com.

Royce Arvid Pearson was born on April 7, 1955 to Daryl W. & Dorothy (Hetland) Pearson and grew up on the family farm west of Orland.  He attended early grade school at Orland, then went to Madison Elementary, Junior High and High School, graduating in 1973.  Growing up he was active in 4-H, FFA, and played softball at Center.

In 1979 Royce married Jan Keenihan at Center Lutheran Church.  They spent their entire married years in the home Royce built on Lake Madison.  He worked for Domestic Seed, United Building Center, and Dakota Ethanol before getting his home inspection license and founding Professional Home Inspections, Inc.  He later obtained a broker associate license and worked for Exit Realty Advantage in Madison until suffering a severe stroke on March 11, 2020.

Royce was an avid hunter and loved deer hunting in the Black Hills, which he did for 49 consecutive years, a tradition started by his father and uncles.  He taught his sons to hunt and was so proud to see this passed on to his grandchildren, gifting each of them with their first hunting guns.  Royce knew everyone on sight, regardless of how many years it had been since he had seen them and has more friends than can be counted.  

Royce was one of the founding members of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation in Lake County and was very active in their fundraising efforts.  He loved working in the yard and took great pride in his lawn and garden.  

Royce was a very loving husband, father and grandfather.  His family never doubted his love for them because he showed it in so many ways.  Royce took such joy in spending time with his family, especially his sons and grandchildren.  When his grand twins were three years old, he used a cherry picker to decorate a huge evergreen in his yard for Christmas and delighted in seeing the awe on their faces when he plugged in the lights.  His family meant the world to him, and he meant the world to them.  His kindness and generosity had no limits.

Royce will be missed by his wife of 41 years, Jan Pearson; his sons, Greg (Cari Jo) Tryon of Sioux Falls and Robby (Stacy) Tryon of Harrisburg; his grandchildren, Alyssa Tryon, Peyton Tryon and his bonus grandchild, Sofi Skonhovd; his mother, Dorothy Pearson of Madison; his siblings, Darry (Deborah) Pearson of Arizona, DaNeil Olson of Sioux Falls, LaRae Glynn of Madison, Marty (Julie) Pearson of Arizona, and numerous friends and fellow hunters.  

He was preceded in death by his father; his grandparents, Arvid & Laura Pearson and Ralph & Isabelle Hetland, and his uncles & aunts.