Violet M. (Thompson) Pearson

OMAHA, NE – Violet M. (Thompson) Pearson passed away on Tuesday morning September 28, 2021, at the age of 95. She had been suffering from Alzheimer’s for the last year, and although heartbroken, we are comforted by the fact she is no longer in any pain. She was born, Violet Marie Kent, August 13, 1926 in Elk County, KS and was one of 6 daughters of Frankie J and Golda Haile Kent.

Shortly after the Great Depression in the mid to late ‘30’s, as a young teenager, she would work odd jobs and was quite the financier. She picked strawberries and sold them so she would always have money to buy a new dress, or buy the latest makeup of that era. After graduating from high school, she moved to Dallas Tx and started working different jobs, one as a pharmacy technician and finally found her liking at an optical company where she met the love of her life, Harold Thompson. They married in Dallas Tx, April 22, 1946. Harold wanted to start his own optical company, so he and Violet moved to Omaha Nebraska where he started Rite-Style Optical with his partner George Lee. Violet helped with the business as best she could however, they were starting their family so most of her time was spent raising 2 daughters, Linda and Deborah and a son, Tommy. Harold ultimately sold his portion of the business to his partner and retired, which gave Violet and him the opportunity to spend the cold winters of Omaha in the Phoenix area, which she absolutely loved. Harold had served in the military during World War II in the Pacific and later in life was diagnosed with melanoma and passed away in 1985. A tragic loss for Violet but they had discussed her not being alone for the rest of her life.

A few years passed and she met, through friends, Dr. Paul Pearson who had retired from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He and Violet were able to continue wintering in Arizona until Paul passed in 2016. The 2 of them were able to travel the world – Russia, Italy, Greece, Sweeden, also China, Australia, and South America among other countries. Violet had lived alone in Omaha since Paul’s passing. Violet’s only son, Tommy, passed away in November of 2019.

Violet is survived by her daughters, Linda Olsen and her husband, Roy Armstrong of Colorado, Deborah Thompson of Omaha Nebraska, 6 grandchildren, Scott Olsen, Jennifer McNulty, and Melissa Kitzman of Colorado, Troy Thompson and Todd Thompson of Texas, and Stephanie Thompson of Maryland, and 10 great grandchildren.

We know she is at peace. Missing someone gets easier every day because even though it’s one day further from the last time you saw each other, it’s one day closer to the next time you will.

A private service will be held in Omaha. A celebration of life will be held for the immediate family within the coming year at a site that has yet to be determined.