Betty Janell Riley Pearce, 94, passed to her heavenly home on April 27, 2021, from The Meadows in Fulton. She was the tenth child of Oscar Riley and Carrie Martin Riley. For 70 years she was married to Howard Pearce Sr. until his passing. They were blessed with six children.
Betty was a hard-working, godly woman who taught her children the value of honesty and hard work. She loved her family dearly and was a wonderful cook. She was known for her caramel and coconut cakes. Quilting, putting together jigsaw puzzles, and doing word search puzzles were her hobbies. Her passion was to work outside with plants, both in the vegetable garden and in the flower garden.
Working alongside her dad at his sawmill as a young girl, Betty could expertly calculate lumber feet and price. She began working at Itawamba Manufacturing when it first opened. After many years, she left and worked at Charm Step. Her last employment was in the kitchen at Daniel Nursing Home.
Betty worked alongside her minister husband in many churches in Tishomingo County and Itawamba County. She and her husband partnered with two other couples to charter and build Zion Baptist Church. After retirement they returned to Zion Baptist Church. She taught Children’s Sunday School wherever her husband pastored and always cooked lots of food for church-wide meals.
She is survived by one daughter Patricia Bishop and her husband Kenneth, a daughter-in-law Debbie Thomas Pearce, and a sister-in-law Hilda Burlison. She also leaves behind grandchildren David (Jennifer) Rogers, Christopher (Andrea) Bishop, Kimberly Bishop, Jason Pearce, Steven Pearce, Christi Pearce, Ginger (Joey) McAlester, Jennifer (James Carnie) Pearce, Monica (Mike) Burleson, Mike (Kay) Harbin and granddaughter-in-law Michelle (Jason) Koleas; her great-grandchildren Abby Lenard, Hayden Lenard, Taylor Bishop, Hannah Bishop, Nora Bishop, Lilly Bishop, Ansleigh Pearce, Tony Guntharp, Kerri (Danny McCullar) Williams, Hunter Williams, Brooklyn Owens, Mackensie McAlester, Keegan Carnie, Kyler Carnie, Cody Parker, Misty Armstrong, Michael Harbin Jr., Katie Harbin, Shelby Harbin, Jacob (Kellie) Henson, Spencer (Lauren) Burleson, Cooper Burleson, Angelina Harbin, Brandon Harbin, and Seth Harbin; her 12 great-great-grandchildren; and 4 generations of nieces and nephews.
Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband Rev. Howard Pearce; her five children and spouses—Paul Pearce, Linda and Eddie Harbin, James Pearce, Howard Pearce Jr., and Martha and Joel Rogers; two grandchildren Christopher Steven Harbin and Edwin Dale Harbin Jr.; her 11 siblings and their spouses– Myrtle (Kelly) Umfress, Mildred (Matt) Conn, Izora (Shelly) Umfress, Oleta (Otho) Wright, Vanilee (Basel) Justice, Jack (Myrtle) Riley, Dick (Ocie) Riley, Pete Riley, George (Ruby) Riley, Dale (Rena) Riley, and Winford (Yolanda) Riley. She was also preceded by Howard’s brother and sister Joe and Ann Pearce, Faye Taylor, and brother-in-law Donzil Burlison,
Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 29, at the McNeece-Morris Funeral Chapel in Fulton with Bro. Franky Smith officiating. Burial will be in Itawamba Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be from 12:30 p.m. until service time Thursday at the funeral home. McNeece-Morris is in charge of all arrangements.
