Butch Pearson, inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Contributor to the Sport, was born and grew up in West Allis, WI. He spent his childhood skating on flooded football fields at the local grade schools. In 1985, he introduced his children, Erica and Nick Pearson, to the sport of speed skating and has been a volunteer with his wife Althea, ever since.
Pearson currently resides near the Pettit National Ice Center and has been a lap counter and chief timer volunteer for Olympic Trails held there since 1988. He has also volunteered at every World Cup and World Championship held in Milwaukee since that time.
“Butch and I go back to the old Outdoor Olympic Rink in Milwaukee when our kids were in their preteens,” said Ernest Krestcshmann, fellow long-time Pettit volunteer, about Pearson.
“Butch would be out when the snow was piled high at the edge of the ice, his parka hood around his face that was red from the wind and the cold, but he didn’t care, he was out there yelling out the laps to go and when they had a good race going, you could hear the enthusiasm in his voice. Even today, after the races are done for the day, he still has that big old smile on his face, enjoying the races and being a part of it all. Butch richly deserves the honor of being inducted into the Hall of Fame.”
One of Pearson’s favorite events he has volunteered for is the Special Olympic World Winter Games, one held in 2001 in Anchorage, Alaska and the other in 2009 in Boise, Idaho. As for local and regional events, he has contributed to the success of more events than can be counted for the past 40 years.
On winning the award, Pearson said, “I am truly honored, this was a total surprise. There are many more people who are just as deserving. The key for me is being dedicated and still having fun.”