Eleanor "Ellie" E. Pearson
October 4, 1927  -  March 4, 2025

by Susan Pearson

Somewhere over the rainbow, our dear mother is making divine music with many friends and family who have long been waiting for her to take her seat at the baby grand piano. We miss her dearly and invite those who are on this side of the rainbow to celebrate her amazing life and legacy on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

If you would like to attend her celebration of life, please help us plan by responding to our survey at the end of this page.

Eleanor, "Ellie," Pearson, 97, of Middleton, died March 4, 2025, at home after more than a year in hospice in the care of daughter Susan. Her strength and tenacity as her health declined is a testament to her as a woman of faith, a professional musician and entertainer. Eleanor was a Madison icon at the Edgewater and Concourse hotels, captivating audiences from the late 1950s to the late '80s. In her spare time, she served as music director and organist at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Madison, and other area churches. She was also a dedicated volunteer booster for the Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps, and she performed in leading roles with Madison Civic Opera.

But to us, she was mom. She did all this while raising five children and ensuring we all learned an instrument, supporting us in various aesthetic endeavors. Our home was filled with music, and cats and dogs. We kids hung out under her maple Baldwin baby grand (signed by pianist-composer Walter Gieseking) as her fingers flew over the keys, dazzling us with her artistry performing Sinding's "Rustle of Spring," Weill's "September Song" and more.

She made it all look so easy. It was anything but ...

Mom was born on Oct. 4, 1927, in Los Angeles. This was certainly the right place, as talking pictures, especially musicals, her favorite genre, took Hollywood by storm. In an alternate universe, she could have been a musical film luminary like her idols Jeanette MacDonald and Deanna Durbin. Family lore has it that her parents, Henry and Helen Maschke, were walking Ellie in her stroller when they encountered burly actor Wallace Beery, who took a shine to their red-headed baby girl.   

Ah, what might have been. Duty called for her pa to come home to help with the family's leather goods business. So, during the Great Depression, the three moved to Chicago in the middle of winter of 1931, just before the birth of her only sibling, Grace.

But the Windy City was a bustling place of entertainment, too, and Mom’s gifts would not be denied. Little Ellie was a bright pupil and sang her first solo in kindergarten at age 5. Mom said the Wurlitzer upright piano left by her grandfather gave her a start on her music education. She officially began her piano studies at age 7 at the Olivet Institute of Music, thanks to her mother, who covered the 25 cents per lesson for seven years. The discipline of her violinist father made her an accomplished accompanist. She learned several languages: at home (German); at school (Spanish); and later privately (French and Italian), which served her well for operatic roles and solos. At age 13, she took voice lessons at Waller High and sang her first solo in her church choir at First St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church. An early mentor was her church's organist and senior choir director, Professor Albert Beck, a noted composer and musician. With his support and others, she would later win top honors as a soprano at the Walther League (Chicago) and International (Milwaukee) talent festivals as she honed her skills after graduating high school in 1945.

Among Mom's favorite extracurricular activities was going to the movies. Some of her favorite stars were Shirley Temple, Deanna Durbin, Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy, Mario Lanza, Ronald Colman, and Charles Boyer. One of her all-time favorite films was "The Wizard of Oz," based on L. Frank Baum's book (she adored all his Oz books). She fondly recalled seeing it at a downtown movie palace in 1939 with her family and best friend, Shirley (Sagadin). “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” was one of Mom’s favorites and a staple in her repertoire. It was the first tune she tried out on the baby grand in the chapel at Oakwood Village, a week after she had surgery for a broken femur while recuperating there in 2021, just shy of turning 94!

But life was not all fun and music. As summer ended in 1944, her mother died, and Mom had to grow up fast. Mom said caring for her while she was ill and burying her was one of the hardest things she ever had to do. Upon graduating from high school the following year, she worked as a bookkeeper at Hollis & Duncan Paper Co., where her father worked, until she married in 1947.

Faith and church gave her strength to meet life's challenges. And it was through her church that she met her first husband, Edward C. Yeadicke, a World War II Army veteran. They welcomed a daughter, Eunice, in 1949 but their happiness was short-lived as Ed became ill. Mom cared for him while working, but sadly, Ed died of Bright's disease at age 31 in 1951.

Once again, Mom worked through her grief and dedicated herself to her craft. The son of the funeral home director who'd handled her husband's service offered her regular employment playing for funerals, which led to singing for weddings and bigger things.

During Ed's illness, Mom prepared herself for musical work to support their family. In 1950, she answered an ad for private voice lessons at the Midwestern Conservatory. There, she met her soon-to-be major mentor, Mario Rubini, who had worked as a vocal coach in Hollywood for MGM. He saw her potential, and Mom channeled her energy into her career after Ed died. Rubini became her manager and connected her with a drama coach, Charles Shapiro, who'd also worked for MGM. She privately studied advanced piano and harmony at Wheaton College (Illinois), and organ lessons. Soon after, she signed with a talent agent, Hal Munro of ABC Booking Corp.

In 1953, she officially became a professional pianist-vocalist-entertainer. She used her mother's maiden name for her stage name, Eleanor Paul; and performed at hotels and fine supper clubs in and around Chicago and southern Wisconsin. In Milwaukee, she played at Jimmy Fazio's on the same bill with "Lady of Spain" fame accordionist Dick Contino. Also, that year, she starred as Santuzza in "Cavalleria Rusticana" with The American Opera Co. in Chicago.

In 1956, Eleanor was featured for a full season as a singer and dancer on Rudy Orisek's "International Cafe," a weekly live musical-variety series on WGN-TV. She recalled the show was a last-minute affair. They never got their scripts until arriving at the studio a few hours before going on the air. A few episodes began with shots of the back of her head and long hair as she slowly opened a large menu listing the show's lineup. "It was quite an exciting experience."

The year 1957 was even more memorable. She performed at Liggett’s Resort Holiday Room in Burlington, Wis., during the World Series. Several New York Yankees players dropped in to enjoy her act after their games against the Milwaukee Braves. Yogi Berra was so charmed by her that he invited her to take a break at his table, joking he was the team's bat boy. He and his teammates, including Micky Mantle and Don Larsen, autographed a few baseballs for her.

Later that autumn, she was performing at Caruso's on Rush Street when the legendary Maria Callas, who was in Chicago for an opera, was in the audience with her entourage, including conductor Rudolf Bing, and applauded her. Mom cited that as one of the highlights of her life. She closed out the year to open Pier 66 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where she also found solo soprano work at a church, while her daughter attended school until summer break the following year.

Eleanor came to Madison in the summer of 1958 for a two-week audition at The Edgewater Hotel's Holiday Bar. Naturally, she nailed it and became their featured entertainer five nights a week for nearly 30 years. Eunice joined her before the new school year started. Soon after, Pastor Alvin Berg hired Mom as music director and organist for St. Paul Lutheran, where she served until the mid-1980s.

Mom often reminisced about the friends she made over the years where she'd worked. Many "regulars" often met their future life partners at her piano and might even marry at her church. She was no exception. It wasn't long before she caught the ear and eye of a regular, Richard Pearson, a U.S. Army veteran whose family owned Berg-Pearson, a sporting goods store. After several months of persistence, she finally accepted a date to go ice skating along with her daughter. Mom said he often included Eunice, which set him apart from other potential suitors, and she'd never have accepted his proposal if Eunice hadn't approved (she did).

They married in Chicago that summer in 1959. Dad adopted Eunice, and as Mom's professional reputation grew, so did our family. They had four children from 1960-'70:  Susan, Scott, Sandra, and Steven. Before the decade was out, they moved from Monona to Westport on Lake Mendota. All her life, Mom loved being near the water. It’s no wonder she considered our place on Lake Mendota, where we lived from 1969 to 1986, as her dream home. The house stood right across the lake from the Edgewater Hotel, and occasionally, Dad took her to work in their motorboat, named “Bubbles.”

Mom was in her element, taking time off to have her kids. After a brief intermission, she'd be back at the church organ and her baby grand piano at the Edgewater. She had charisma and class, providing entertainment for hotel patrons, among them celebrities such as Bob Hope, Tony Orlando (& Dawn), members of Jethro Tull, and notable locals such as Elroy Hirsch. A highlight of her time there was when pop star Elton John stayed at the hotel during Labor Day weekend in 1980. Elton asked if he could play for her and the lucky ones in attendance. He bought a bottle of Dom Perignon and repeatedly kissed her. ("He had the softest lips.") He also left her an autographed personal portrait, a treasured memento for the rest of her life.

But it was her regulars with whom she bonded over music and song who made it truly special. Mom could read the room like a clinical psychologist, knew everyone's personal favorites, and shared the spotlight with them. She provided bongo drums, maracas, kazoos, a ukelele, tambourine, and soap bubbles for anyone to get in on the act. Many became friends for life, and she mentored several gifted singers. For us, Edgewater regulars and church members were like extended family. They often attended our annual open house holiday parties to gather around her baby grand, and dad would host and tend bar.

As her kids all reached school age, Mom's passion for opera led her in the 1970s to try out and win leading and supporting roles with Madison Civic Opera under the baton of Roland Johnson, including “Cavalleria Rusticana,” “La Traviata,” and “The Ballad of Baby Doe,” among others.

She also was a loyal booster and became a volunteer publicist for the Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps when her sons were old enough to join in the 1970s and '80s. Dad also served as a tour bus driver for the group for several summers. Mom recalled that when she first came to Madison in 1958 and saw the Scouts march around the Square she was hooked. She hoped right then that if she had a son, he would play with them someday. Well, she had two sons who did, Scott and Steve. Her youngest daughter, Sandy, performed with the Capitolaires (Madison) and Phantom Regiment (Rockford, Ill.).

Nineteen eighty-six was a pivotal year for Mom and Dad as her time with The Edgewater ended. His business closed that year, too. Over the years our family had vacationed in Florida, and they especially loved the Keys. So, they followed their hearts and relocated to Venture Out in Cudjoe Key, 23 miles east of Key West. She made many friends there while directing stage shows with the Venture Out Players. She served as an organist at several churches in Key West and Big Pine Key. She also won starring roles in "The King & I" and "Music Man" at the Tennessee Williams Fine Arts Center in Key West.

As they settled into Margaritaville life, Mom missed Madison. Another local entertainer who modeled himself after her, Faron Evans, invited her to join him to perform nightly at the Concourse Hotel. She accepted and roomed there during the summer/autumn of 1987 and 1988. She called it quits after that, but she and Dad would make annual summer visits that always included sing-a-longs at the baby grand piano of close friends and dining out at favorites such as Smoky's, the Avenue Bar, and Mariner's Inn.

After a close call with Hurricane Andrew, they left the Keys in early 1993 to settle in their last home on Lake Yale near Leesburg, Fla. They loved the area because it reminded them of Wisconsin. Mom again found a new "gig" at Lake Square Presbyterian Church (now Graceway). She made new friends who, like her, shared a deep love of music and performed outside the church in area communities and the Villages.

Following Dad’s death in 2018, Mom returned to Madison in May of 2019 for his interment in the Veterans Cemetery in King and to live with her daughter Susan. She made new friends and reconnected with those from her days at the Edgewater and St. Paul. After settling in, she started weekly sing-a-longs on Saturday afternoons in the community room at Sauk Gardens Apartments. Unfortunately, Covid-19 shut it down in March 2020.

Thankfully, she found her new faith community at the Lutheran Church of The Living Christ through an old friend and Edgewater regular. When meeting her new pastor, Dan Kowert, they discovered that his great-grandfather was a pastor at her old church in Chicago. Small world.

Our family thanks her pastor and church for their support. Mom relished her visits and comforting conversations with Pastor Dan as her health declined. A big thank you to Agrace's hospice team and to Abby, our Aging at Home helper. Also, a special thanks to family friend Karen Banks, whose mother was one of mom's best friends (Marj Ketchmark). She drove mom from Florida back to Madison. Truly, there's no place like home.

Eleanor was preceded in death by her parents, Henry Maschke and Helen (Paul). Her sister Grace (James McHugh) also preceded her in death. She was twice widowed (Edward C. Yeadicke, 1947-1951; Richard A. Pearson, 1959-2018), and is survived by her five children: Eunice Ruddy (Stephen), St. Augustine, Fla.; Susan, Middleton; Scott (Margie), Baraboo; Sandra (Alan Scillitoe), Etobicoke, ON, Canada; and Steven (Barbara), San Diego; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; one great-great granddaughter; and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service was held at the Lutheran Church of The Living Christ, 110 N. Gammon Road, Madison, on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 for family and friends. The visitation began at noon, and the service started shortly after 1 p.m.

A special thanks goes out to Pastor Dan Kowert, Christa Kowert, and Cindy Light for their expertise at the Lutheran Church of The Living Christ with making Mom's Madison-area send off very special for all wishing to say so long for now, Ellie. Also, for those who couldn't attend physically, but were allow to be a virtual part of the program.

Ellie's Celebration of Life Service Video Madison, WI

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Our family invites you to please click complete the brief questionnaire to help us plan Mom's celebration of life. The submission deadline is May l9, 2025. Thank you!

If you cannot attend the service in person, you can still watch via Zoom. Please fill out the questionnaire at the end of the form, you'll see the code information to join us online. You can also email susan@elliesmemory.com to receive the code or RSVP if you're having problems with the questionnarire.

For more information and online condolences, please visit www.gundersonfh.com.