Doris Theresa Pearsall. PhD, of Lowell

Doris Theresa Pearsall, PhD, 86, of Lowell, MA died Tuesday, January 07, 2020 at D’Youville Senior Care Center in Lowell

Born in Lowell, she was the daughter of the late George F.A. and Alice B. (Marcotte) Pearsall.  She graduated from Lowell High School with the class of 1950 and continued in her quest in higher education, earning her BA in Psychology from Boston College, her Master’s in Sociology from Northeastern University and her PhD in Psychology from Boston College.

She retired from the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health in 2004 after 31 years of dedicated research and service to those with mental health needs. Her research was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, the Massachusetts Journal of Mental Health and other publications.

She was a communicant of St. Margaret’s Church in Lowell where she was a member of the church choir.

Her great interest in studying the Pearsall Family genealogy took her to Europe and Utah. She reprinted a three-volume set of the family history and distributed it to many Pearsall descendants throughout the country. Doris also enjoyed spending time with her extended family, helped plan family reunions, skied, and visited sites that were important to her faith, including Medugorje and Lourdes.

Doris was a loyal supporter of both the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and the Massachusetts Law Enforcement Memorial.

She is survived by her brother Stephen and his wife Mary Willett of Bradford, MA, sisters, Lillian Pellissier of Glen Mills, PA and Pauline Gallagher of Worcester, MA and her sister-in-law Nancy Hornick of Mount Dora, FL. She was aunt to 21 nieces and nephews and great aunt to many more.

She was the sister of the late George Pearsall, James Pearsall, Lorraine McLaughlin and Rita Conlon Neal.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend her visiting hours on Friday, January 10, from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Dolan Funeral Home, 106 Middlesex St., Chelmsford. Her funeral will be Saturday, January 11, starting at 9:00 AM from the funeral home with a funeral Mass at 10:00 AM at St. Margaret of Scotland Church, 374 Stevens St., Lowell. Burial will follow in St. Patrick Cemetery, Lowell. Memorials may be made in her name to the Alzheimer’s Association, 309 Waverley Oaks Rd., Waltham, MA 02452. ARRANGEMENTS BY DOLAN FUNERAL HOME 978-251-4041. Guestbook at www.dolanfuneralhome.com