Ernestine Frances Ellen Pearce (Mimi) went to be with her Heavenly Father, Sunday August 6, 2023.  She was 97 years old.

Mimi was born in Dallas, Texas to Ernest Dewey Cox and Mertie Wofford. The families were from the old Dallas County community of Rylie Prairie founded in 1846.  The Cox family came to Texas before statehood and settled first near the site of the old Dallas Courthouse before they moved to the Rylie Prairie area, which is now just called Rylie.  Hartwell Bolin Cox was a founding member of the Rylie Christian Church, continuing a legacy of faith in the Cox family.  Being raised with her faith as an important part of life, Mimi held fast to her love of the Lord.  In her childhood, Mimi attended the Old Gospel Lighthouse and Pleasant Grove Christian Church. She also was a member of Bethany Baptist Church in Pleasant Grove. Upon moving to Garland, she became a member of Shiloh Terrace Baptist Church until 2020 when she moved to Coleman, Texas to be near her daughter.

Mimi graduated from Pleasant Grove High School in 1944 and applied her schooling as an Executive Private Secretary for Blue Cross Blue Shield for over 30 years. In 1962, she married Joe Allen Pearce of Garland. They were married 40 years until he passed away in 2002. They loved to take short trips and visit the sites around Texas.  Branson Missouri and Nashville Tennessee were favorite destinations for gospel music. She also loved to go antique shopping with her friends. When at home, it was always her joy to celebrate Christmas Eve with the families and she loved watching the grandchildren chase each other at Easter looking for the hidden Easter Eggs in the backyard.

Mimi was a devoted daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and left her family a heritage rooted in a strong faith for our eternal hope in Christ. She was preceded in death by her parents Ernest Cox in 1985 and Mertie Wofford Cox in 1995.

She is survived by two children, Sharon Pearce Bryant and husband Dr. Alan Bryant of Coleman County and son James Pearce and wife Juliana of Glenn Heights; seven grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren: Dr. David Pearce Bryant, wife Molly and daughter Julia of Fort Worth; Craig Warren Bryant, wife Amelia and children Mya and Caden of Austin; William Eric Bryant, wife Cassie and daughters Maven, Aberdeen and Eulalia of Richardson; Joanna Elizabeth Bryant Brinkerhoff, husband Sami and daughters Ellie and Aideen of Cedar Hill; Rebecca Pearce Pitts and husband Jonathan, daughter Shelby and son Austin of Forestburg; Megan Pearce Wolf of Dallas; and Heather Pearce Cramer, husband Guy and sons Addison and Durham and daughter Sophronia of Big Sandy.

The family would like to give a special thanks to Solaris Hospice of Brownwood and Holiday Hill Nursing Home in Coleman for the loving attention they gave Mimi and the prayers they offered up as they cared for her.

Funeral service will be 1:00PM Monday, August 14, 2023 at Williams Memorial Chapel with a visitation one hour prior. Interment will immediately follow at Restland Memorial Park.