Obituary of Jean Maxine Best Pearce

Jean Maxine Best Pearce Wayne County, NC Native Jean Maxine Best Pearce, age 63, of 610 West Main Street, Elizabeth City, NC, died Monday, March 3, 2003, at Sentara Norfolk Hospital. Mrs. Pearce was born in Wayne County, NC, on July 22, 1939. She was the daughter of the late Kimber Nicholas Best and Nancy Suggs Best of LaGrange, NC. She was the wife of Dr. Dan M. Pearce of the residence. Jean grew up in the New Hope community where she graduated from New Hope High School in 1957 as Co-Valedictorian. She earned degrees from Mt. Olive College where she was a choir member and from Greensboro College, graduating as a Sociology Major with highest academic honors. For several years Jean worked as caseworker for the Blind in North Wilkesboro, NC and the City of Greensboro, NC. As a member of the Holy Family Catholic community of Elizabeth City, she participated in the Catholic Daughters and sang in the choir. Her hobbies were music, crafts (including knitting, ceramics and basketry) and gardening for which she had a ‘green thumb.’ Besides her husband and mother, she is survived by two sons, Dr. Kimber Charles Pearce of Columbia, SC, and Jason Claude Pearce of Silver Spring, MD; and a brother, Max R. Best of Goldsboro, NC. Jean leaves many friends and relatives who will remember her for her lovely voice, her infectious laughter, her high intellect and her pure and loving heart. A memorial service will be Saturday, March 8, 2003, at 11:00 AM at Holy Family Catholic Church with Rev. James Buchholz officiating. The family will receive friends in the church reception hall immediately after the memorial service. Memorial donations to assist the blind may be made to the Elizabeth City Lion’s Club, PO Box 1112, Elizabeth City, NC 27909. To sign the online register please visit Twiford’s website at, www.twifordfh.com. Twiford’s Memorial Chapel, 405 East Church Street, Elizabeth City, NC, is in charge of arrangements.