Irvan 'Van' Alan Pearlberg

IRVAN ALAN PEARLBERG left us on January 20, 2024, after a courageous battle with cancer. Van, as he was known to all, was larger than life. To his family he was the best dad, grandfather, brother, and brother by choice. To his late wife Patti, he was half of a perfect team. To his long-time companion Sue, he was a best friend. Van loved his family with all his heart. His goal was to be with them and make memories. Van corralled the family for yearly excursions. Trips to the beach, Disney, cruises, deep sea fishing and skiing. He delighted in serving the grandchildren every unhealthy food group imaginable starting the day with pre breakfast Oreos. Vacations were a constant buffet of food, wacky costumes and matching outfits. He would not only send Chick-Fil-A or the Varsity to the grandkids but show up in a uniform that he borrowed to make a personal delivery. Van’s ultimate goal was to make the best memories with Joey, Drew, Lane and Jack. His sons Richard and Scott and their wives Marci and Kelly were the most important part of the ensemble cast in the continuing Pearlberg production. One of Van’s fondest moments was attending the 2022 Atlanta Braves Fantasy Camp with Richard and Scott. Van was voted Senior Most Valuable Player. To his friends and neighbors, he was a loyal mensch. Van always wanted to sit for a meal, tell an off-color joke and be there for you. He was a master of the grill and the Green Egg, and everyone was welcome. Van loved Marietta. He had the privilege of serving on the City Council and the Water Authority helping guide the future of his neighborhood. Van and his late wife Patti often held court on their Church Street Porch. He festooned the yard with inflatables beginning with Halloween and changing them for every holiday until New Years. Van and Patti in costume handed out candy to the children. One of Van’s greatest joys was acting in theater productions too numerous to mention. His favorite venue was the Strand Theatre. This past fall he joined the cast of 1940s Radio Hour for his final show. To the legal community he was a mentor and teacher. He strongly believed in the rule of law and was a fearless prosecutor. Van served under four district attorneys as a major felony prosecutor. He used his theater skills to be an excellent trial attorney. He mentored attorneys young and old on how to try a case. Van spent the last decade of his career as the director of the Medicaid Fraud Unit of the State of Georgia Attorney General’s office. Van’s legacy will be the tens of millions of dollars he recovered for the State of Georgia. Van served the greater Georgia community by becoming one of the leading experts on the Lynching of Leo Frank. He travelled the state lecturing on this miscarriage of justice and the pervasive antisemitism underlying it. Irvan Alan Pearlberg was preceded in death by his parents Lawrence and Marion Pearlberg. Van was also preceded in death by his loving wife Patricia Lacy Pearlberg. Van is survived by his sons Richard (Marci) Pearlberg and Scott (Kelly) Pearson and his grandchildren Joey, Drew, Lane and Jack. He is also survived by his daughter Erica (Yuri) DeSimone and her children Ezra and Caleb. Van is survived by his long-time companion and close friend Sue Ellen Strauss. His sisters Ronnie Dinin and Andrea Weiser and their families. His close family Scott and Nancy Lacy Grieve, Michael Lacy and the late David Alfrey. His niece Lacy Benson and her husband Preston Benson and their daughter Eleanor and his nephew Michael Grieve and Sigrid Wise. A memorial service will be 10:00 AM Tuesday January 23rd at Mayes Ward-Dobbins Funeral Home in Marietta. The family will receive friends 4:00 to 7:00 PM Tuesday at Mayes Ward-Dobbins Funeral Home in Marietta. Van will be buried next to Patti at St. James Episcopal Church Cemetery in Marietta with a private service. In lieu of flowers the family ask that donations be made in honor of Van to The Strand at https://earlsmithstrand.org/.

Irvan 'Van' Alan Pearlberg

February 2, 1951 - January 20, 2024