PHOTOS: Lowell Police Dedicate Hero Sign to Fallen Officer George Pearsall, Who Gave His Life in the Line of Duty in 1957

LOWELL — The Lowell Police Department was joined by family members on Thursday to dedicate a memorial Hero Sign to Officer George F.A. Pearsall, who gave his life in the line of duty in 1957. 

Officer George F. A. Pearsall, born in 1903, was one of 12 children who grew up in Lowell. He became a Reserve Officer with Lowell Police in 1940 and was promoted to regular Patrolman in 1943.

Officer Pearsall and his wife Alice Pearsall were the parents of eight children and raised them on Phoebe Avenue in the Pawtucketville neighborhood. Officer Pearsall also served as a lieutenant in the Massachusetts National Guard. 

On Wednesday, April 24, 1957, at 2:47 in the afternoon, Officer Pearsall made his final call box ring into the station. He failed to report for roll call at 5:30 p.m. Two supervisors went out to look for him and found Officer Pearsall shot to death in the the former American Hide and Leather Building on Perry Street near Alton Street. Officer Pearsall, who had been assigned to the building from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. to prevent vandalism, was 53 years old.

No one has been charged. The investigation into Officer Pearsall’s death remains open. 

“Officer Pearsall made the ultimate sacrifice for this city and for this Police Department, and because of that we must never forget his service,” said Superintendent Greg Hudon.

Some of Pearsall’s children have passed away. Two of his eight children, 10 of his 21 grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and one great-great-grandchild attended Thursday’s ceremony. 

Stephen Pearsall, of Haverhill, was 5 when his father died. He and his sister Lillian Pellissier, of Pennsylvania, both attended. 

Stephen Pearsall, Officer Pearsall’s youngest son, shared memories of gathering with his family as a five-year-old and watching boxing on a black-and-white television with his dad on Friday nights after work.

“I’m really glad something was done for my father,” said Stephen Pearsall. “On behalf of the Pearsall family, I want to extend our appreciation for this service. We’ll be here every April 24.”

“This means a great deal to our family,” said Thomas George McLaughlin, one of 21 grandchildren who never got to meet their grandfather. “It gives me great comfort and resolve today to imagine that if he were here, he would want our focus to be straight – not on the loss or the way he brutally died, but on what he lived for. My grandfather was a great father and a man of deep Christian faith, and he believed there is no greater love than God’s love to heal everything and anything, and greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Capt. David Peaslee, who helped organize the ceremony, said Hero Signs such as the one installed for Officer Pearsall will be installed at three other locations in the city as well, with each sign being dedicated on the anniversary of the officer’s death.

The other Lowell Police Officers who have given their life in the line of duty are Officer Christos G. Rouses, Officer Patrick F. Leavitt, and Officer John Joseph Winn. 

“These signs will serve as more than just markers — they will stand as enduring symbols of the dedication and commitment our officers display every day, even in the face of danger. They are tributes to the officers who gave everything to ensure our safety, even at the cost of their own lives,” said Capt. Peaslee. “Each year, on the anniversary of their passing, we will gather at these sites to pause and remember our fallen heroes. We encourage all residents of Lowell, particularly those in the neighborhoods where these signs will be placed, to take a moment of reflection when passing by.”