Hollis Uel Pearce

Hollis Uel Pearce of Marietta and Gainesville died Monday, Oct. 19, 2009, following a lengthy illness. Born in West Point Aug. 14, 1947, to Thomas Albert Pearce and Gladys Brown Pearce, Hollis meant the world to his family and was loved and respected by his many friends and business associates. He was a faithful Christian and a man of sound character who never neglected an opportunity to do a good deed or to help the needy. Although we will miss him terribly, we are blessed to celebrate a life well lived. Hollis graduated from the University of Georgia in 1969 with a degree in accounting. While at Georgia, Hollis volunteered for the Marine Corps' Platoon Leader's program and spent most of his summers in training at Quantico, Va. Upon graduation from college, he was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in the Marine Corps and volunteered for duty in Vietnam where he served at various forward positions along the DMZ. Just before going to Vietnam, Hollis married his high school sweetheart, Mary Gordon of Dawson. Following his military service, Hollis embarked on his business career holding several positions of increasing responsibility. Among these was chief financial officer for Hayes-Albion Corp. of Winston-Salem, N.C., comptroller for Kervens department stores in Columbus and as the director of finance (South East) for Equitable. Hollis studied for and passed Georgia's CPA exam on his first try which is a truly remarkable accomplishment. Hollis used his certification and accounting ability to help numerous start-up businesses and distressed companies often without charge. Hollis also attained a Broker's Real Estate license and owned-operated several business ventures including a supermarket, oil distributorship, food processing plant, real estate agency and a children's daycare/school. Hollis was a member of Wildwood Baptist Church in Kennesaw where he and his family worshipped regularly. He was a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Georgia Society of CPA's, Institute of Management and Accounting and the UGA Alumni Society. Hollis was preceded in death by his parents and by an older sister, Grace Pearce Sumner whose husband, David, lives in Fort Worth, Texas. Surviving relatives include his loving and faithful wife, Mary; his beloved son, John Hollis; Hollis is also survived by his brothers, Charlie Pearce and his wife, Gretchan of Gainesville and William Thomas Pearce of Gainesville; his sister, Suzanne Pearce Johnson and her husband, Judd of Riverdale; other surviving relatives, along with numerous nieces and nephews, include his mother and father-in-law, Mattie and Woodrow Gordon of Woodbury; his sister-in-law, Linda Gordon Lane and her husband, Gene of Woodstock; and his brother-in-law, Alvin Gordon and his wife, Charla of Sedalia, Mo. Funeral services will be at Jones Chapel Church in Woodbury on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009, at 1 p.m. The church is located on Georgia Highway 85 about two miles north of Woodbury. Internment will be in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, Oct. 21st from 7 to 9 p.m. at Smith-Steele-Meadows Funeral Home, 500 Flat Shoals Road, Woodbury, GA 30293. The family requests that memorial contributions, in lieu of flowers, be made to Peachtree Christian Hospice, 3430 Duluth Park Lane, Duluth, GA 30096. Please write on the for line "In Memory of Hollis Pearce". Online condolences: www.smstme@windstream.net.
Smith-Steele-Meadows Funeral Home, Manchester