Pearce, Raymond B.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: PEAR.R012
• _FGRAVE: 18369030

Notes:

Mr. Pearce was born March 8, 1952, in Flora, the son of Charles Edwin and Berniece (Smith) Pearce. He married Becky S. Pierson on May 25, 1974 in Flora. He was owner/operator of Pearce AG Service in Louisville, attended Red Brush Christian Church, and enjoyed Cardinal baseball.

Survivors include his wife, Becky Pearce of Louisville; parents, Edwin and Berniece Pearce of Flora; children, Elizabeth Pearce, Jarred Pearce, Hayley Pearce and Lacy Pearce, all of Louisville; two brothers and sisters-in-law. Chuck and Martha Pearce of Flora, and Phillip and Janet Pearce of Charleston, W.V.; three sisters and brothers-in-law, Walterene Pearce of Xenia, Judy and Larry Griffith of Mt. Erie, and Shirley Pearce and Mike Bily of Mahomet.

Preceding him in death were his maternal and paternal grand-parents.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3, at Frank and Bright Funeral Home in Flora, with Dusty Elmore officiating.

Burial will be in Red Brush Cemetery in Louisville. Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to Clay County Cancer Fund.

Family/Spouse: Pierson, B.S.. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: PEAR.C003
• _FGRAVE: 145551371
• Military Service: World War II, Private First Class, Company C, 119th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry 'Old Hickory' Division, United States Army

Notes:

Edwin Pearce, age 94, of Flora, Illinois, passed away on Saturday morning, April 25, 2015, at Heritage Woods in Flora.

Edwin was born February 28, 1921 in Flora to Charles and Goldia (Dobbs) Pearce. He married Berniece Smith on October 22, 1950 in Vineland, NJ. She preceded him in death on May 27, 2009.

Edwin proudly served his country as an U.S. Army Infantryman on the front lines in WWII, earning 3 purple hearts. Edwin traveled much of the United States as a pipeline welder and enjoyed raising cattle. Memberships included Flora VFW, American Legion, Flora Masonic Lodge, and was a 66 year member of Pipeliners Union 798 in Tulsa, OK.

Edwin is survived by his children: Judy (Larry) Griffith of Mt. Erie, Walterene Pearce of Xenia, Chuck (Martha) Pearce of Flora, Phil (Janet) Pearce of New Smyrna Beach, FL, and Shirley (Mike) Bily of Urbana; a brother: Bill (Joan) Pearce of Flora; 23 grandchildren, 41 great-grandchildren, and 9 great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, a son: Raymond Pearce, five brothers: Norman, Kenneth, Richard Pearce, twin infant brothers, one sister: Vivian Fitzgerald, and three great-grandchildren.

A funeral service for Edwin Pearce was held at Frank & Bright Funeral Home, Flora.

Interment was in Kneff Cemetery, Flora, with military honors.

Memorial donations to Clay County Hospice or Clay County Animal Rescue and Shelter (CCARS).

Military Service:
Entered active service as a draftee on December 3, 1943 at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. Trained as a Rifleman (military occupational specialty 745) and departed the Continental U.S. on May 13, 1944 bound for the European Theater of Operations. Assigned to Company C, 119th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry 'Old Hickory' Division and fought with them through the Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns. Wounded by enemy action 3 times in October and November of 1944 and in January of 1945, after which he was sent to the U.S. for treatment. Returned to the European Theater on March 11, 1945 and rejoined his unit in combat for the duration. Earned The Purple Heart Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters, Presidential Unit Citation, Combat Infantryman Badge, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 4 bronze battle stars and the WWII Victory Medal. Honorably discharged as a Private 1st Class on November 29, 1945 at Camp Grant, Illinois.

This information has been posted on the National World War II Memorial's Registry of Remembrances website by Robert Medley Gatewood. It is entered here with his permission.

Source: http://www.wwiimemorial.com/Registry/plaque.aspx?honoreeID=595927

Charles married Smith, Berniece on 22 Oct 1950 in Vineland, Cumberland County, New Jersey. Berniece was born on 1 Jul 1925 in Hartford, Cocke County, Tennessee; died on 27 May 2009 in Flora Gardens Care Center, Flora, Clay County, Illinois. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: SMIT.B021
• _FGRAVE: 37670682

Notes:

Berniece Pearce, 83, of Flora, IL died at 10:05 PM Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at Flora Gardens in Flora, IL.

She was born on July 1, 1925 in Hartford, TN to Bruce and Rosa (Ball) Smith. She married Edwin Pearce on October 22, 1950 in Vineland, NJ, he survives.

Berniece was a homemaker, as well as, owner and operator of the Country Kitchen in Flora, for several years. She was an avid bowler, she was one of the founding members of the Flora Womens Bowling League and a member of 3 leagues. Berniece also held several offices including past President of the VFW Ladies Auxillary, and was a member of Eastern Star.

She is survived by her husband Edwin Pearce; children: Walterene Pearce; Judy (Larry) Griffith; Chuck (Martha) Pearce; Phil (Janet) Pearce; Shirley (Mike) Bily; daughter-in-law: Becky Pearce; one brother: Julius Smith; one sister: Ressie Morris; 23 grandchildren, many great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her parents, one son: Raymond Pearce, and two brothers: Joe & Headman Smith.

Services were held May 31, 2009, at Frank & Bright Funeral Home in Flora with burial in Kneff Cemetery at Flora.

Visitation will be 6-8 PM, Saturday, May 30, 2009 at Frank & Bright Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Clay County Hospice and may be received at the funeral home.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Farmer
• Reference Number: PEAR.C002
• Census: 6 May 1940, Stanford Township, Clay County, Illinois; 1940 Census, Stanford Township, Clay County, Illinois, page 08a

Charles married DOBBS, Golda Atherton 'Goldie'. Golda (daughter of Dobbs, Benjamin Franklin and ?, Sarah Ellen 'Ella' A.) was born on 24 Sep 1901 in Illinois; died in 1973; was buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Flora, Clay County, Illinois. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: DOBB.G001

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: DOBB.B001
• Funeral: Harmony Church

Notes:

Died:
Benjamin Franklin Dobbs, 74 years of age, died last night at his farm home southeast of Flora after an illness of two weeks.

Benjamin married ?, Sarah Ellen 'Ella' A.. Sarah was born in 1871; died in 1943; was buried in Kneff Cemetery, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: UNK.S179