Former Aylmer Mayor Don Pearson remembered

Former Aylmer Mayor, Reeve and long-time councillor Don Pearson, who was head of council when the decision to fully restore Old Town Hall was made, has died at age 87.

Mr. Pearson died at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital on Friday, June 3 after a short illness.

First elected to town council in 1972, Mr. Pearson served as a councillor until 1976 and then again from 1980-81.

He then served as deputy reeve from 1981-1985 and became reeve in 1986.

Mr. Pearson was mayor of Aylmer from 1988-1994.

“He took action,” his eldest son Rob said. “He didn’t sit back and take pot shots. He loved the town like he lived there forever, not like he had adopted it. Look at (Old) Town Hall. He helped save it and made it into the library and later a performing arts centre. That was a huge controversy back then.”