Martha B. Welch Pierce, age 93, of the Sweetwater Community, near Ellisville, passed away August 16, at her home. Visitation will be on Monday, August 18, 2014, at Jones & Son Funeral Home in Moselle. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, at Fairfield Baptist Church, Moselle. The Rev. Gary Shows and the Rev. Wayne Woolwine will officiate. She was a member of Riverside Baptist Church in Ellisville where she had served as a Sunday School teacher for many years.
Her love for teaching and education began at a very young age. She learned the value of an education very early in life and in her early years she walked to school each day and attended the Sweetwater School near her home. She attended the Sweetwater School until the eighth grade and then attended Ellisville High School, which is now South Jones High School. Upon graduation from Ellisville High, she then attended Jones County Junior College and graduated with an Associate's Degree in 1942. She could then begin her chosen career of teaching school. She was the first one in her family to graduate both from high school and then college. She taught school for 10 years while completing her Bachelor's Degree at the University of Southern Mississippi by taking night classes at the Gardner Center in Laurel. She also traveled to Southern on Saturdays for class and had a professor sit in on her class teachings Monday through Friday at Pendorff Attendance Center. Her teaching career spanned almost 40 years: 1 year at Montrose, 9 years at Sweetwater School, and 30 years at Pendorff Attendance Center where she retired in 1985. She taught many generations of families and could always recall the names of each student she taught and the stories that related to them.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Glendon Cleo Pierce; her parents, Isaac Franklin and Aura Zella Jefcoat Welch; two brothers, James Burl Welch and John Isaac (J.I.) Welch; and one sister, Christine Welch Shows (Brent); and two brothers-in-law, L.G. Pierce and Henry Lee Wade.
She is survived by one daughter, Nancy Pierce Agawa (Malcolm) of Aurora, CO; two sons, Jimmy W. Pierce and Dr. Carroll D. Pierce, both of Seminary; two sisters, Hattie Welch Wade and Jewel Dean Welch Riles (Leland), both of Ellisville; and one brother, Edward (Elaine) Welch of Moselle; and two sisters-in-law, Opal Pierce Townsend (Charles) of the Eatonville Community and Alene Welch of Laurel. She is also survived by 4 grandchildren, Darron Agawa (Rebecca) of Honolulu, Hawaii, Lance Agawa of Aurora, CO; Shaunte' Pierce McNeil of Seminary and Leslie Pierce Shoemake (Rocky) of Collins. She is also survived by 10 great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and friends that she loved dearly.
Visitation will be at Jones & Son Funeral Home in Moselle on Monday, August 18, 2014, 5:00-9:00 p.m. with services at Fairfield Baptist Church on Tuesday, August 19, at 10:00 a.m.
Pallbearers will be Morris Welch, Freddie Welch, Roger Welch, Pat Pierce, Joe Pierce, Ted Townsend, Darron Agawa, and Lance Agawa.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Steve Thrash, Gary Pierce, Lyndel Pierce, Max Pierce, Baxton (Don) Fairchild, Steve Wade, Brooks Townsend, Charles Pierce, and Hugh Townsend.
Special Friends are the kind ladies who assisted in her care during her extended illness: Donna Lowery, Viola Bush, Mavis Massengale, Becky Bush McKenzie, Lynn Kirby, and Beverly Jones.
Her love for teaching and education began at a very young age. She learned the value of an education very early in life and in her early years she walked to school each day and attended the Sweetwater School near her home. She attended the Sweetwater School until the eighth grade and then attended Ellisville High School, which is now South Jones High School. Upon graduation from Ellisville High, she then attended Jones County Junior College and graduated with an Associate's Degree in 1942. She could then begin her chosen career of teaching school. She was the first one in her family to graduate both from high school and then college. She taught school for 10 years while completing her Bachelor's Degree at the University of Southern Mississippi by taking night classes at the Gardner Center in Laurel. She also traveled to Southern on Saturdays for class and had a professor sit in on her class teachings Monday through Friday at Pendorff Attendance Center. Her teaching career spanned almost 40 years: 1 year at Montrose, 9 years at Sweetwater School, and 30 years at Pendorff Attendance Center where she retired in 1985. She taught many generations of families and could always recall the names of each student she taught and the stories that related to them.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Glendon Cleo Pierce; her parents, Isaac Franklin and Aura Zella Jefcoat Welch; two brothers, James Burl Welch and John Isaac (J.I.) Welch; and one sister, Christine Welch Shows (Brent); and two brothers-in-law, L.G. Pierce and Henry Lee Wade.
She is survived by one daughter, Nancy Pierce Agawa (Malcolm) of Aurora, CO; two sons, Jimmy W. Pierce and Dr. Carroll D. Pierce, both of Seminary; two sisters, Hattie Welch Wade and Jewel Dean Welch Riles (Leland), both of Ellisville; and one brother, Edward (Elaine) Welch of Moselle; and two sisters-in-law, Opal Pierce Townsend (Charles) of the Eatonville Community and Alene Welch of Laurel. She is also survived by 4 grandchildren, Darron Agawa (Rebecca) of Honolulu, Hawaii, Lance Agawa of Aurora, CO; Shaunte' Pierce McNeil of Seminary and Leslie Pierce Shoemake (Rocky) of Collins. She is also survived by 10 great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and friends that she loved dearly.
Visitation will be at Jones & Son Funeral Home in Moselle on Monday, August 18, 2014, 5:00-9:00 p.m. with services at Fairfield Baptist Church on Tuesday, August 19, at 10:00 a.m.
Pallbearers will be Morris Welch, Freddie Welch, Roger Welch, Pat Pierce, Joe Pierce, Ted Townsend, Darron Agawa, and Lance Agawa.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Steve Thrash, Gary Pierce, Lyndel Pierce, Max Pierce, Baxton (Don) Fairchild, Steve Wade, Brooks Townsend, Charles Pierce, and Hugh Townsend.
Special Friends are the kind ladies who assisted in her care during her extended illness: Donna Lowery, Viola Bush, Mavis Massengale, Becky Bush McKenzie, Lynn Kirby, and Beverly Jones.
Martha B. Welch Pierce, age 93, of the Sweetwater Community, near Ellisville, passed away August 16, at her home. Visitation will be on Monday, August 18, 2014, at Jones & Son Funeral Home in Moselle. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, at Fairfield Baptist Church, Moselle. The Rev. Gary Shows and the Rev. Wayne Woolwine will officiate. She was a member of Riverside Baptist Church in Ellisville where she had served as a Sunday School teacher for many years.
Her love for teaching and education began at a very young age. She learned the value of an education very early in life and in her early years she walked to school each day and attended the Sweetwater School near her home. She attended the Sweetwater School until the eighth grade and then attended Ellisville High School, which is now South Jones High School. Upon graduation from Ellisville High, she then attended Jones County Junior College and graduated with an Associate's Degree in 1942. She could then begin her chosen career of teaching school. She was the first one in her family to graduate both from high school and then college. She taught school for 10 years while completing her Bachelor's Degree at the University of Southern Mississippi by taking night classes at the Gardner Center in Laurel. She also traveled to Southern on Saturdays for class and had a professor sit in on her class teachings Monday through Friday at Pendorff Attendance Center. Her teaching career spanned almost 40 years: 1 year at Montrose, 9 years at Sweetwater School, and 30 years at Pendorff Attendance Center where she retired in 1985. She taught many generations of families and could always recall the names of each student she taught and the stories that related to them.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Glendon Cleo Pierce; her parents, Isaac Franklin and Aura Zella Jefcoat Welch; two brothers, James Burl Welch and John Isaac (J.I.) Welch; and one sister, Christine Welch Shows (Brent); and two brothers-in-law, L.G. Pierce and Henry Lee Wade.
She is survived by one daughter, Nancy Pierce Agawa (Malcolm) of Aurora, CO; two sons, Jimmy W. Pierce and Dr. Carroll D. Pierce, both of Seminary; two sisters, Hattie Welch Wade and Jewel Dean Welch Riles (Leland), both of Ellisville; and one brother, Edward (Elaine) Welch of Moselle; and two sisters-in-law, Opal Pierce Townsend (Charles) of the Eatonville Community and Alene Welch of Laurel. She is also survived by 4 grandchildren, Darron Agawa (Rebecca) of Honolulu, Hawaii, Lance Agawa of Aurora, CO; Shaunte' Pierce McNeil of Seminary and Leslie Pierce Shoemake (Rocky) of Collins. She is also survived by 10 great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and friends that she loved dearly.
Visitation will be at Jones & Son Funeral Home in Moselle on Monday, August 18, 2014, 5:00-9:00 p.m. with services at Fairfield Baptist Church on Tuesday, August 19, at 10:00 a.m.
Pallbearers will be Morris Welch, Freddie Welch, Roger Welch, Pat Pierce, Joe Pierce, Ted Townsend, Darron Agawa, and Lance Agawa.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Steve Thrash, Gary Pierce, Lyndel Pierce, Max Pierce, Baxton (Don) Fairchild, Steve Wade, Brooks Townsend, Charles Pierce, and Hugh Townsend.
Special Friends are the kind ladies who assisted in her care during her extended illness: Donna Lowery, Viola Bush, Mavis Massengale, Becky Bush McKenzie, Lynn Kirby, and Beverly Jones.
Her love for teaching and education began at a very young age. She learned the value of an education very early in life and in her early years she walked to school each day and attended the Sweetwater School near her home. She attended the Sweetwater School until the eighth grade and then attended Ellisville High School, which is now South Jones High School. Upon graduation from Ellisville High, she then attended Jones County Junior College and graduated with an Associate's Degree in 1942. She could then begin her chosen career of teaching school. She was the first one in her family to graduate both from high school and then college. She taught school for 10 years while completing her Bachelor's Degree at the University of Southern Mississippi by taking night classes at the Gardner Center in Laurel. She also traveled to Southern on Saturdays for class and had a professor sit in on her class teachings Monday through Friday at Pendorff Attendance Center. Her teaching career spanned almost 40 years: 1 year at Montrose, 9 years at Sweetwater School, and 30 years at Pendorff Attendance Center where she retired in 1985. She taught many generations of families and could always recall the names of each student she taught and the stories that related to them.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Glendon Cleo Pierce; her parents, Isaac Franklin and Aura Zella Jefcoat Welch; two brothers, James Burl Welch and John Isaac (J.I.) Welch; and one sister, Christine Welch Shows (Brent); and two brothers-in-law, L.G. Pierce and Henry Lee Wade.
She is survived by one daughter, Nancy Pierce Agawa (Malcolm) of Aurora, CO; two sons, Jimmy W. Pierce and Dr. Carroll D. Pierce, both of Seminary; two sisters, Hattie Welch Wade and Jewel Dean Welch Riles (Leland), both of Ellisville; and one brother, Edward (Elaine) Welch of Moselle; and two sisters-in-law, Opal Pierce Townsend (Charles) of the Eatonville Community and Alene Welch of Laurel. She is also survived by 4 grandchildren, Darron Agawa (Rebecca) of Honolulu, Hawaii, Lance Agawa of Aurora, CO; Shaunte' Pierce McNeil of Seminary and Leslie Pierce Shoemake (Rocky) of Collins. She is also survived by 10 great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and friends that she loved dearly.
Visitation will be at Jones & Son Funeral Home in Moselle on Monday, August 18, 2014, 5:00-9:00 p.m. with services at Fairfield Baptist Church on Tuesday, August 19, at 10:00 a.m.
Pallbearers will be Morris Welch, Freddie Welch, Roger Welch, Pat Pierce, Joe Pierce, Ted Townsend, Darron Agawa, and Lance Agawa.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Steve Thrash, Gary Pierce, Lyndel Pierce, Max Pierce, Baxton (Don) Fairchild, Steve Wade, Brooks Townsend, Charles Pierce, and Hugh Townsend.
Special Friends are the kind ladies who assisted in her care during her extended illness: Donna Lowery, Viola Bush, Mavis Massengale, Becky Bush McKenzie, Lynn Kirby, and Beverly Jones.
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