On April 1, 2019 Sallie Mae Pearson, 94, rose upon the wings of angels to her heavenly home. She was born on October 27, 1924 in York County, VA to the late Samuel Herman Hopson and Virginia (Jennie) Susie Hopson. Sallie Mae was the matriarch of the Pearson family and was the Pearson and Hopson family genealogist and historian. In 2001 Sallie Mae published a book chronicling her memoirs and life growing up in York County, Newport News and Hampton.

In 1942 she married the late Clarence Warren Pearson Sr. who worked as a driller at Newport News Shipyard. From this union six children were born. Clarence Sr. unfortunately became sick and died in 1966 leaving Sallie Mae to raise the remaining children at home. Sallie Mae never remarried, and dedicated the remainder of her life supporting her children.

Sallie Mae attended the Yorktown Training High School in Yorktown where she graduated as Valedictorian in 1942. She graduated from the College of Hampton Roads and the Peninsula Business College. Her career work experience included working at Hampton University, secretary at Providence Baptist Church, and she worked at Fort Eustis and Fort Monroe before retiring in 1977. She was a lifelong member of Cary's Baptist Church in York County and later became a member of Providence Baptist Church in Newport News.

Sallie Mae always stressed to her children the value of a good education and being a good citizen. One of her proudest moments came in 1999 when Hampton University selected her family as their National Black Honored Family of the Year.

In addition to her husband she was preceded in death by her son Kenneth, her sister Elsie Devolia, her brothers, Nelson Hopson and Samuel H. Jr., (Sneezy), and many aunts, uncles and cousins. She leaves to cherish her memories, her beloved sister Margaret Tynes, Grafton; her children, Clarence Jr. (Connie) of Hampton, William David (Elaine) of Hampton, Claudia Wooden Pearson of Hampton, Calvin (Evelyn) of Hampton; George (Gale) of Newport News; and daughter-in-law Rebecca Pearson of Manassas, VA. She also leaves fourteen grandchildren, seventeen great-grandchildren and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

The family would like to thank the services of Hope-In Home Care and Sentara Hospice Service.

The body will be available for viewing from Noon to 6 PM Sunday, April 7, 2019 at W. J. Smith & Son Funeral Home, and the family will receive friends from 6 to 7 PM. The funeral service will take place on Monday, April 8th at 11 AM at Cary's Baptist Church, 1615 Cary's Chapel Road, Yorktown. The family will meet at 10 AM at the family home. Burial will follow at 2 PM at Hampton National Cemetery in Phoebus.

In lieu of flowers the family the requests donations be made to the Cary's Chapel Baptist Church Building Fund.

Funeral services have been entrusted to W. J. Smith & Son Funeral Home, 210 Harpersville Rd., Newport News.