Mildred L. Pears, 97, of Tionesta, more recently of Butler, died Monday at Chicora Medical Center.

She was born Oct. 3, 1912, at the family home in Millbrook, Worth Township, Mercer County, a daughter of the late George James and Edna Lena (Slater) Little.

She graduated from Fredonia Institute in Fredonia, Mercer County, and then moved to Tionesta in Forest County. She also lived in Mayburg, Forest County, until 1943 and returned to Tionesta, where she lived until 2003 when declining health caused her to live with her son, Merle, in Butler.

Mildred, with her husband Laverne, owned and operated the Pears Chevrolet Co. in Tionesta from 1946 to 1951. She later worked as a licensed practical nurse at Titusville Hospital, retiring in 1985.

She was a member of Tionesta United Methodist Church and was a past worthy matron of the Sylvania Chapter No. 102 Order of the Eastern Star of Tionesta.

She is survived by two sons, Wayne E.L. Pears of Lakewood, Colo., and Merle L. Pears and his wife, Mary, of Butler; two granddaughters, Laura VanLierop and her husband, Tony, of Colorado and Deanna Lairmer and her husband, James, of Colorado; two grandsons, Merle Pears Jr. and his wife, Joyce, of Butler and Michael Pears and his wife, Gloria, of Chicora; eight great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren. A brother, Max Little of Grove City; three sisters, Helen Mae Beringer of Mercer, Jeanne P. Martin of Florida and Mary Joyce Russell of Mercer; and several nieces and nephews also survive.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by three brothers, Clyde James, George Fred and Donald Leroy Little; two sisters, Grace J. Little and Lenabelle A. Minner; and a grandson, Mark Pears.

<B>PEARS</B> — Friends of Mildred L. Pears, who died Monday, Nov. 2, 2009, will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at <B>Norman J. Wimer Funeral Home </B>of Tionesta. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at the funeral home with the Rev. Dennis Lawton, pastor of Tionesta United Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will be at Mount Collins Cemetery in Tionesta.Condolences may be sent by e-mail to condolences@wimerfuneralhome.com.