Carol Meade Pearl

Carol Meade Pearl of Odessa, Delaware passed to her eternal reward on July 13, 2019.

Carol was the second of 6 daughters born to Harold and Helen Meade of Newark, DE. Harold worked for the Wilmington Trust bank, while Helen managed the home front. All 6 of the Meade girls graduated from College. Carol was a drum majorette and was voted Homecoming and Prom Queen, as a senior at Newark High School, graduating in 1953. She moved to Philadelphia after that, attended Temple University for several years and worked extensively with special needs children. She met her future husband, David Pearl, at a party arranged by a mutual friend. She and David were married on September 1, 1964. Thus began a marriage that would span more than 50 years, see them raise and educate four children, spoil 8 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, travel across the U.S. and much of Europe, host countless parties, organize ceremonies, plan weddings and other special events as Carol cultivated and honed her well-deserved reputation as the “hostess with the mostest.”

After living in Wilmington for ten years, Carol, David and their children moved to Odessa and set up residence in one of the town’s historic homes. Carol immediately became an enthusiastic supporter of the annual “Christmas in Odessa” tour and was a fixture in the event for more than forty years. Not content simply to put her own home on the tour, Carol invited as many family and friends as she could find, cajoling them into activities ranging from dancing the minuet to acting as guides while she replicated authentic period favorites such as wassail and plum pudding.

When her children entered their teens, Carol went back to school and attained certification to teach elementary school. Thereafter, she taught kindergarten and fourth grade in the Appoquinimink School District. Years after she retired from teaching, she would encounter former students, now adults, who would tell her they could never forget “Mrs. Pearl”.

Carol was a woman of faith and an active member of the St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Odessa. Well into her 80’s and even when her stamina and physical capabilities began to ebb, she could be seen swaying and even “boogeying” to upbeat hymns from her favorite pew.

A strong supporter of the Odessa community, Carol was an associate of the University Women’s Alpha Delta Kappa Sorority, contributing her time, energy and resources to raising money and awareness in support of annual scholarships for deserving students from the local area. She was also a Friend of the Corbit Calloway Library, where she could be found on many weekday afternoons reading stories to the neighborhood children. She played bridge with the Thursday afternoon Bridge Club, participated with the Odessa Garden and Women’s clubs and for many years played tennis-doubles and mixed doubles- on a public court for which she spearheaded efforts to refurbish and resurface, ensuring that a long forgotten resource once again was integrated into the life of the community.

Carol is survived by her husband of 54 years, David L. Pearl, son, Thomas M. Pearl and his wife, Gilma, her daughter, Mary von Witzleben and her husband, Robert, her step-son, David R. Pearl and his wife, Cheryl , her step-daughter, Terry Zimmer and her husband, Robin, her grandsons David, John and Tommy Pearl, Josh Zimmer and Max and Lex von Witzleben, her granddaughters Alison Sanders and Sarah Zimmer, and her great grandsons, Eli Sanders, Jack Pearl and great granddaughters, Heidi Sanders and Ivy Pearl, her sisters: Bernadette Malkiewitz; Mary Donovan; Donna Armstrong; and Anne Beck.

A service to celebrate Carol’s life will be held on August 3 from 11-12 am at St. Paul’s UMC, 406 Main Street, Odessa, DE 19730. Visitation will be held prior to the service from 9:30-11:00. Interment will be held privately in Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Alzheimer’s Disease Research, 22512 Gateway Center Drive, Clarksburg, MD 20871, phone (855) 345-6237 and St. Paul’s United Methodist Church at the address listed above.