Attica - Dr. Gary G. Pearl DVM age 86 of Bloomington IL, passed away peacefully at 7:08 AM on Monday, January 1, 2024 at his residence surrounded by his family.
Visitation will be held this Saturday, January 6, 2024 from 2-5:00pm at Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home, 1115 East Washington Street, Bloomington, IL. The funeral service will be held 1:00 PM Sunday, January 7, 2024, at Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home, 1115 E. Washington St, Bloomington, IL with family friend Tina Kohn officiating.
A second service will be held in Attica, Indiana on Monday January 8, 2024 with visitation from 11:00 AM-1:00 PM EST at Maus Funeral Home Attica, IN 47918, followed by his funeral at 1:00 PM Monday EST January 8, 2024, with Pastor Jerry Badgley officiating. Burial to follow at Riverside Cemetery, Attica, IN with military rites accorded at the cemetery.
Gary was born December 19, 1937, in Lafayette IN, the son of George and Dorothy Fisher Pearl. He married Sandra "Sandy" Christenberry on June 23, 1963 in Williamsport, IN. She survives.
Also surviving are his three children: Cary (Cindy) Pearl, Dardenne Prairie, MO; Julie (Jock) Sommese, Sycamore, IL; Jill (Terry) Fish, Bloomington IL; eight grandchildren: Connor Pearl, Wilmington, NC; Carson Pearl, West Lafayette, IN; Claire Pearl, Columbia, Missouri; Alexandra (Greg) Pane, Pittsburgh, PA; Elise (Max) Moffat, Fishers, IN; Cameron Rokke, Sycamore, IL; Megan Fish, Sycamore, IL; Justin Fish, Chicago, IL; and four sister: Janet Sundt, Connersville, IN; Rita Terrell, Greenwood, SC; Penny Byers, Attica, IN; Pamela Zellers, Houston, TX.   Gary is preceded in death by his parents.
Dr. Pearl grew up in rural Attica Indiana on a family grain and livestock farm. He went to elementary school in a one room school house and walked back and forth every day from home. His love for learning and working outside on the farm prepared him for graduation in 1955 from Attica High School. While in High School, he was very active in FFA, 4-H judging, showing beef cattle, including having an Indiana State Fair Grand Champion. He was also involved in many sports when he had any free time away from the farm work. He came from a large family with five children, with Gary being the only son and second born. His older sister, Janet, and three younger sisters, Rita and twins Penny and Pam, along with their parents, George and Dorothy, lived a loving, hard-working farm life, with many of those life lessons helping to direct his path for the future and his impact on the world.
After High School, his passion for agriculture, hard work and lifelong learning led him to pursue college at Purdue University and its School of Agriculture planning to become a High School Ag teacher. While enrolled at Purdue, he joined the Air Force ROTC and the Indiana Army National Guard. He studied, spent time with friends at the pool hall, and worked on the farm in the evenings and on weekends. As he approached graduation in 1959, the exciting news that Purdue was opening a brand-new School of Veterinary Medicine, redirected his focus and getting an application in for that first class.
He graduated from Purdue in May 1959, with a BS in Agriculture and Biochemistry, his acceptance to Purdue Vet School that coming fall, extended his formal schooling for four more years. He graduated as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Purdue in May 1963 as a member of its inaugural class.
During his years in the Vet School, he met Sandy Christenberry back home in Attica at a High School basketball game in 1961. That meeting led to a marriage of over 60 years after they wed on June 23, 1963.
Dr. Pearl's first veterinary job was in the LaGrange Indiana Food Animal and Equine Practice with a great team of doctors and their families that welcomed him and his new bride to Northern Indiana. While in LaGrange, his son, Cary, and first daughter Julie, were born. A job and career change in 1966 took his family to Bloomington IL, where he took the role as Staff Veterinarian at FS Services. They also welcomed another daughter, Jill, to the family. He would spend over 27 years at what would become Growmark, Inc, where he retired as Livestock Business Manager in 1993.

Following retirement, to stay active in US Agriculture, he took the role as President and Director of Technical Services for the US Fats and Proteins Research Foundation, Inc. He completed that service in 2006 to spend time with a bigger family, that now included eight wonderful grandchildren.
Throughout his adult life, he was actively involved in many professional, civic and community organizations. He was McLean County Veterinarian, a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Chairman of Illinois State Veterinary Association, President of Mississippi Valley Veterinary Association, Chairperson Cooperative Research Farms, Illinois State University Ag Advisory Board, National Biodiesel Board, and US Animal Health Association. Locally, he gave his time to the Unit Five School Advisory Council, was an Illinois 4-H Distinguished Leader for twenty-five years, a Bloomington Township Trustee and Clerk for over fifty years, a, member of the Crestwicke County Club Board of Directors, and a Deacon at the First Christian Church Bloomington.
Dr. Pearl was honored as an Adjunct Professor at Clemson University, Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences and was also honored as a 2001 Distinguished Alumnus of the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine.
Despite Gary's professional accomplishments, he was most proud of his family. He took tremendous pride in not only his children, but his grandchildren. Gary enjoyed fishing, hunting, golf and gardening. He and Sandy loved to travel the world together completing trips to Australia, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, New Zealand, Hawaii, and many more. Nearly every fall weekend he could be found tailgating with his family and friends at Purdue football games.
The family suggests memorials be made to the McLean County 4-H Extension Service or the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine.