James B (J.B.) Pearl

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Obituary- Pearl, James B.

James B. '’J.B." Pearl
ST. MARYS- James B. "J.B." Pearl, 84, died Thursday, August 21, 2000, at St. Francis Hospital in Topeka.

lie was born July 3, 1924 on a farm near St. Marys, the son of Thomas M. and Florence G. Doyle Pearl. Mr. Pearl attended James Grade School in rural Shawnee County. He graduated from Immaculate Conception Catholic High School in 1942. He served proudly in the United States Navy during WWII (1944-1946) in the South Pacific at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He was honored to be a part of the "Greatest Generation".

After being discharged from the Navy, he returned to the St. Marys area and farmed with his grandpa, James Doyle. Mr. Pearl farmed for many years before he founded J.B. Pearl Sales and Service in 1961. The company was awarded the National Ag Retailer of the Year in 2003. Mr. Pearl brought new and innovative ideas to agriculture. As an entrepreneur he always used the positive approach gained from reading and attending seminars.

Mr. Pearl was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, a lifetime member of Knights of Columbus Council No 657, and the Historical Society all in St. Marys. He was a lifetime member of the American Legion. He was a member of and past board member of the NFSA. Mr. Pearl was also a member of the Agriculture Retailers Association and the Kansas Agriculture Retailers Association. He was a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and the CPN Veterans Association.

He enjoyed gardening, fishing and woodworking. He and Eileen traveled through all 50 states as well as England and Ireland. J.B. never knew a stranger and had friends everywhere.

On May 9, 1949 he was married to Dorothy Eileen Seitz at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in St. Marys. She survives of the home.

Other survivors include three sons, Mike Pearl, Doyle (Laura) Pearl, and Don (Patty) Pearl all of St. Marys; two daughters, Pat (Randy) Kuhn, Shawnee, KS and Susan (Clark) Johnston, Aurora, CO; a daughter-in-law, Claire Pearl, St. Marys; two brothers, Robert (Joyce) Pearl, Parma Heights, OH and Jerry (Hildegard) Pearl, St. Marys; three sisters, Marjorie Guerich, St. Marys, Virginia Pearl CSJ, Pawnee Rock and Maureen (Charles) Harris, Topeka; 13 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 A.M. Monday, August 25, 2008 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in St. Marys. Interment will be in Mt. Calvary Cemetery St. Marys. Mr. Pearl will lie in state after 3:00 P.M. Sunday, August 24th at the church where there will be a Prayer Vigil at 7:00 P.M. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Endowment Fund or the Children's Miracle Network at St. Francis Hospital and sent in care of Piper Funeral Home in St. Marys. Online condolences may be sent to www.piperfuneralhome.com.