Obituary of Wandalea Pearson Wandalea Lucille Derello Pearson, “lovingly known as Wanda,” was born on July 23, 1941 in Pawling, NY to the late Leroy H. Derello, Sr. and Elizabeth Hazel Reid Derello. On February 27, 2019, with her family by her side, God sent a chorus of angels to escort her home to glory. Wanda spent her early years in Poughkeepsie and Brooklyn, NY before moving to Ellenville, NY where she was raised by Oscar and Thelma Yeadon.
She attended Ellenville High School where she was a cheerleader for the Ellenville Blue Devils and played intramurals and varsity field hockey, softball and basketball. She was a proud graduate and member of Ellenville High School’s Class of 1960. In her early twenties she moved to Monticello, NY and was employed as an Operator with the telephone company.
She retired after over 20 years of service. During her time in Monticello Wanda came to know the Lord and made Him her personal savior. She was a member of Bethlehem Temple Church under the leadership of the Late Mother Martha Finn.
In 1971, Wanda returned to Ellenville, where she met her future husband, Walter Pearson, Sr. Less than a year later they were married and this union birthed and beautifully blended eight children, Kevin, Lizette, Andrea, Loretta, Rosetta, Cardylia, Waldo and Vanessa. While in Ellenville, she was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ in Ellenville, under the pastorate of the Late Elder Giles B. Hughes. In 1996, after the last of her children graduated, she moved back to Monticello and relocated to Columbia, MD in 2015.
During her 77 years, Wanda lived a full life and was the best Daughter, Wife, Mommy, Nana/Grandma, Sister, Aunt, and Friend. She was a selfless woman who made a long-lasting impression on everyone she met. Wanda was predeceased by her parents; her husband, Walter Pearson, Sr.; four brothers: Leroy Jr., Leonard, Douglas and Donald Derello; five sisters: Elizabeth Mallory, Mary Reese, Shirley Derello, Pearl Cobbs, and Robin Derello; foster siblings: Oscar, Travis and Thalia Yeadon; and one grandson, Waldo Jerrod Pearson.
Wanda leaves to cherish her memories, her eight children: Kevin (April) Derello of Monticello, NY, Lizette Pearson of Baltimore, MD, Andrea (Ryan) Vinson of Elkridge, MD, Loretta Pearson of Monticello, NY, Rosetta (David) McNeal of Monticello, NY, and Cardylia, Vanessa, and Waldo (Christina) Pearson, all of Bennettsville, SC; one maternal aunt, Blanche Reid Palmer of Greenville, SC; three sisters: Mildred Ellis of Monticello, NY, Donna (Curtis) Silver of Mebane, NC, and Renee Muhammad of Wilmington, NC; three brothers, Wyoming (Pearlene) Derello of Mebane, NC, Galvin (Sandra) Derello of Virginia Beach, VA and Hyatt (Ethel) Derello of Freeport, Bahamas; a foster sister, Alice Armstead and a host grandchildren, great-grandchildren, God-children, nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and her “adopted” college children. A viewing will be held on Saturday, March 9, 2019 at 10:00am, and the funeral will follow at 11:00 am at Bethlehem Temple Church, 93 Fairground Road, Monticello, NY with Pastor Ryan Tinsley, Sr. officiating. Burial will follow at the Rock Ridge Cemetery in Monticello.
Arrangements are under the direction of the VanInwegen-Kenny, Inc. Funeral Home of Monticello NY; for additional information or to send an online condolence, please visit www.
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