Louis Monroe Pearce

Louis Monroe Pearce, Jr. passed away on Wednesday afternoon, the 26th of December 2012, in Houston, Texas.
A native Houstonian, Louis was born on the 17th of February 1917 to the late Louis Monroe Pearce, Sr. and Rosa May Pearce.
Louis attended grade, junior high and part of high school in Houston, and in 1936 he graduated from Texas Military Institute in San Antonio. He attended The University of Texas from 1936 to 1939, majoring in Business Administration and was a member of Kappa Alpha Fraternity.
Louis proudly served his country by joining the army in 1940 where he reached the rank of sergeant in the horse cavalry. Louis received his commission after attending Officer Candidate School in Fort Riley, Kansas, and was deployed overseas in 1943. He served in all phases of the Italian campaign with the II Corps as a Liaison Officer and later as an aide to Lt. General Keyes, Commander of the II Corps. He was discharged from the Army in November of 1945 with the rank of Major.
Upon Louis' return to civilian life in Houston, he was employed by what is now Waukesha-Pearce Industries, Inc. In 1947 he was appointed president of the corporation, and in 1970 he was appointed president of TIW Corporation as well. In 1976 a holding company, Pearce Industries, Inc., was formed, and he served as Chairman of the Board for all three companies.
Louis' greatest love was his family, and he was their greatest love. In addition, he was blessed to have very special friends spanning several generations, most of whom treasured the many stories he would share about his life experiences. Louis had three great passions that defined him: his ranches, the Houston Livestock and Rodeo and The University of Texas. He served as President and Chairman of the Board of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and continued to be an active member of the Executive Committee until his death. Louis was honored with the Distinguished Alumni award by The University of Texas and was an ardent supporter of UT athletics, especially the football program. He had but one request each year of his dear friend, Coach Mack Brown, "Beat OU !"
Louis' public service accomplishments and honors are almost too numerous to mention. He took special pride in serving as Chairman of The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a period of twelve years having been appointed by two governors, one a Republican and the other a Democrat. Such was Louis…he was loved by all. Because of his love of horses, he was deeply honored when inducted into both the American Quarter Horse Association and the National Cutting Horse Association Halls of Fame.
Louis was preceded in death by his wife, Evelyn Cave Pearce. He is survived by his sons, Louis Monroe Pearce III and Vanessa Rene Schillaci, Gary Michael Pearce, Stephen Riley Pearce and Wilhelmina Elizabeth "Beth" Robertson; and by his daughter, Anne Pearce French and husband, Lloyd Robert "Robin" French III. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Autumn Pearce Martens and husband, David Owen Martens, Kelly Pearce Stouse and husband, Michael Christian Stouse, Louis Monroe Pearce IV and wife, Ashley Buffa Pearce, Gary Michael Pearce, Jr., Rex Riley Pearce, Elizabeth Pearce "Libbie" Conner and husband, Robert Hardin "Rob" Conner, Lloyd Robert French IV, Evelyn May French; his great grandchildren, Jesslyn Kelsey Martens, Pearce David Martens, Anna May Rains Stouse, Lawson Pearce Stouse, Grover Lee Stouse, Lee Paden Pearce, Joseph Grant Pearce, and Brantley Kathleen Conner; and his daughters-in-law, Jesslyn Paden Pearce, Debbra Cooper "Debbie" Pearce, and Betsy Dudley Pearce.
Louis was blessed to have many wonderful people take care of him from the beginning of his life to the end, to name a few: Mazine Cunningham, Caroline McIntosh, Dr. Robert Hall, Dr. Mike Wilson, Dr. David Mouton, Juan Garcia, Mickie Clark, Mario Lopez, Margarita and Ricardo Arevalo, Jose Salinas, Jose Oregon and last but not least, all of the dedicated members of his ranch staff.
Friends are cordially invited to gather with the family and share remembrances of Mr. Pearce during a reception from five o'clock in the afternoon until eight o'clock in the evening on Wednesday, the 23rd of January, at the River Oaks Country Club, 1600 River Oaks Boulevard in Houston. A uniformed steward from Geo. H. Lewis & Sons is to be positioned in the entrance hall so as to direct guests to the designated venue.
Earlier this month, the family gathered for a private service of remembrance.
In lieu of customary remembrances, contributions in memory of Mr. Pearce may be directed to the Louis M. Pearce, Jr. Scholarship Fund at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, P.O. Box 20070, Houston, TX, 77225-0070; The University of Texas - Longhorn Foundation, P. O. Box 7399, Austin, TX, 78713; the Dr. Robert Hall Cardiology Chair at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Attn: Sherry Serio, 1213 Hermann Dr., Ste. 855, MC-3206, Houston, TX, 77004; or to the charity of one's choice.