Richard Pearson, the long time General Manager of KTSM, died Thursday October 8th at his home. Pearson was known for his industry leadership and for being a great manager, boss and friend. Pearson suffered from Parkinson's disease but led an active life long after being diagnosed with it.
A public memorial is scheduled to be held for Pearson at the Plaza Theatre Friday October 16th at 2:00 p.m. It is open to the public. The family asks that instead of flowers, that you make a donation to the El Paso Community Foundation. The address is P.O. Box 272 El Paso, TX 79943.
Pearson ran KTSM for 11 years. He retired in 2002 and is credited with encouraging many young television professionals over the years. One former co-worker said today that Richard Pearson "changed the face of local television."
The news of Pearson's passing hit the NewsChannel 9 family especially hard. He was the general manager and was considered by others in the media as an icon. Former and current NewsChannel spoke to us about the man they will miss.
In the world of broadcasting Pearson was a force to be reckoned with. "He was passionate about this TV station, passionate about the city and wasn't afraid to ruffle a feather or two to get his point across," said NewsChannel 9 General Manager Gary Sotir.
But those who worked with him got to see a gentler side. "He cared a lot about you not only as an employee, but as a person and your family. He was just wonderful," said NewsChannel 9 Administrative Assistant Clis Calleros.
The El Paso native started his career in 1960 selling ads for the newspaper. He then ventured into TV spending more than two decades at KVIA before taking over NewsChannel 9 as general manager in 1991.
"There are people in this world who are life forces. They walk into a room and you know they're there because of their powerful and caring personalities," said former NewsChannel 9 anchor Felipa Solis.
"He would walk through and say hello and how you doing? What's going on today?" remembers former NewsChannel 9 anchor Nick Miller. "You don't see that anymore."
Pearson was a man of pride in his heritage and his city, who led a lifelong commitment to the community. He founded Maggie's Tournament, an annual golf tournament that he started in honor of his late first wife. And he served as a member for countless organizations. "He cared, he had a big heart and it made it a pleasure to work there," said Miller.
Pearson retired from NewsChannel 9 in 2003. In the years following, he began a battle with Parkison's disease. On Thursday morning, he lost that fight. But his life's work and his legacy will live on.
"If you knew Richard you were blessed, if you didn't know Richard, he did so much for the community that you feel a little bit of what he and his family have done," said Solis.
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