Maryon Elspeth Pearson, née Moody (1901 – December 26, 1989) was the wife of Lester Bowles Pearson, the 14th Prime Minister of Canada.

Maryon and Lester Pearson married on August 22, 1925. They met at the University of Toronto

University of Toronto

The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...

, where he was a teacher and she was a student.

Maryon Pearson was also known for her sharp tongued wit. John English in his biography, Shadow of Heaven: The Life of Lester Pearson, devoted a full chapter to the subject of Mrs. Pearson's prickly personality. Among her most famous quotations:

• "Behind every successful man, there stands a surprised woman."
• [On the retired former prime minister's greater time at home]: "I married him for better or worse. I didn't marry him for lunch."
• [On being asked during an election campaign by a reporter, "Is there anything you'd like to bring up, Mrs. Pearson?"] "Yes, three doughnuts and six cups of coffee."
• "We lost everything. We even won our own constituency."
• "The big problem is to find suitable hats. I don't care for them all that much, but you have to wear them in politics."

It was reportedly also at Maryon Pearson's behest that the practice of curtsey

Curtsey

A curtsey is a traditional gesture of greeting, in which a girl or woman bends her knees while bowing her head. It is the female equivalent of male bowing in Western cultures...

ing to the Governor General

Governor General of Canada

The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...

 and his consort was discontinued — apparently because Maryon refused to act deferentially toward her old friend Norah Michener

Norah Michener

Norah Willis Michener was the wife of Roland Michener, the 20th Governor General of Canada. As the spouse of a Governor General, she held the title of Chatelaine of Rideau Hall....

.

Children

They had one son, Geoffrey

Geoffrey Pearson

Geoffrey Arthur Holland Pearson, OC was a Canadian diplomat and author. Born in Toronto, Ontario, he was the son of former Prime Minister of Canada Lester B. Pearson and Maryon Pearson....

, and one daughter, Patricia. Geoffrey was married to former Canadian Senator Landon Pearson

Landon Pearson

Landon Carter "Lucy" Pearson, OC, B.A., M.Ed. is a former Canadian senator and a children's rights advocate. She is the daughter-in-law of former Prime Minister Lester B...

. Geoffrey and Landon Pearson's daughter is USA Today

USA Today

USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...

journalist Patricia Pearson

Patricia Pearson

Patricia Pearson is a Canadian writer and journalist. She's published three non-fiction books and two novels.-Life and work:...

(not to be confused with her aunt, of the same name, who did not maintain a public career).