Herb Pearce - a gift for life with no regrets

I hardly knew Herb Pearce, who died last month on April 18, yet I knew he lived a remarkable life.

By the time I became affiliated with the Pearce Co. as a co-founder, with Maureen Campbell, of a separate senior services program, Herb was almost 90.

I would, however, see him bustling into his office when he was in town, or hear him address company meetings, speaking without any notes, his vigor and sense of humor, an inspiration to all who heard him.

Most of all, I came to know and appreciate Herb through the many stories and recollections of others whenever I mentioned his name. It seemed everyone who knew this charismatic, but fiercely independent individual had a unique “Herb” story to relate.

No surprise then, that every pew of the huge Trinity Church in New Haven was filled at his memorial service with people from all walks of life, from former employees to public officials. His family and his daughter Barbara, in her remarkable eulogy, reflected on his ways and wit. Barbara Pearce recounted how Herb, always in a hurry, skipped over letters in his speeches at Realtor dinners around the state.

Beginning with “R” for resilience and going on to “E” for enthusiasm and “A” for attitude, it was supposed to spell out “REALTOR,” but Herb would race to the end, leaving out a different letter each time; much to the annoyance of his wife who would say, “Herb, I’m not going to drive around the state to listen to you misspell Realtor.”

Despite the fact that his wife was an Army nurse with two graduate degrees and he only graduated high school, Herb, who had risen through the ranks at the A.C. Gilbert Co., was always supremely self-confident. He believed in the power of positive thinking and felt there wasn’t much that couldn’t be changed with a change in attitude. That exuberance drew people to him and he had friends of all ages for whom he would often plan parties, presents and pranks.

Herb applied his enthusiasm to his community work as well. He loved to raise money for nonprofit causes and planned and executed ambitious campaigns and was proud of the good that they did. Herb used to say that some people had MBAs, but he had RLC — rat-like cunning. His cunning was, I think, comprised of hard work and an ability to see opportunities everywhere. He had a big impact on the town of North Haven and was a driving force behind a bridge to Universal Drive, which helped to transform it into today’s retail center. The bridge is named the Herbert H. Pearce & Donald B. Lippincott Commemorative Bridge in honor of Pearce and his partner.

Herb Pearce was forward looking about change of all kinds. He was proud of being the first in the real estate industry to run billboards, full-page ads, radio and TV commercials.

He had a car phone in 1968 when you had to go through a marine operator to place your call, and at the end of his life when he was just a few days short of his 95th year, he had a Facebook page and an iPod.

He had friends who were professors and friends who were laborers, friends in their 20s and friends in their 90s, and he treated them all the same way. Barbara Pearce said, “Something about the almost magical combination of personality, character and presence allowed him to leave an indelible imprint on more lives than almost anyone I’ve ever known.”

The many organizations he supported and the scholarships he established remain as tributes to a man whose life exemplified his favorite Winston Churchill saying, “We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.”

Contact Jean Cherni, certified senior adviser for Senior Living Solutions and Pearce Plus, a helpful, full-service program for seniors contemplating a move, at jeancherni@sbcglobal.net or 15 The Ponds at 101 Hotckiss Grove, Branford, Ct. 06405.

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