by Bill Millsaps

MIDLOTHIAN, Va., Jan. 26, 2012 –– The Virginia State Golf Association joins the Virginia golf community in mourning the loss of Harold Pearson, the first editor of Virginia Golfer, the official publication of the VSGA, who died Jan. 24 after a long illness. He was 78.

Mr. Pearson, a native of Kings Mountain, N.C., and a graduate of Appalachian State University, covered sports for the Richmond Times-Dispatch from 1965 to 1996. His specialties were golf and NASCAR’s top circuit. He was a former president of the National Motorsports Press Association.

Lanny Wadkins, a Richmond native and a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, has fond memories of Mr. Pearson.  

“I don’t think, with all the sports writers I’ve ever met or come across, I never felt I trusted someone as much as I did Harold,” Wadkins told The Times-Dispatch. 

He was “someone who cared about the game of golf,” Wadkins added. ”More importantly, he cared about the people he wrote about, which made him truly special.  He left a nice legacy, he really did.”

An Army veteran, Mr. Pearson served in Europe following World War II.

Mr. Pearson was survived by his wife, Diane, and a son, Chris. The family will receive friends Saturday from 2-4 p.m., at the Morrissett Funeral and Cremation Service, 6500 Iron Bridge Road (Route 10).

Author Bill Millsaps retired in 2005 as executive editor of The Times-Dispatch and is a member of the VSGA board of directors.