Ollie Durham Byrd Pearce

Ollie Durham Byrd Pearce, 90, wife of the late Elliott Byrd, and George Pearce, entered into rest Monday, February 27, 2017, at her residence.

Funeral services will be held Friday, March 3, 2017, at 1:00 p.m. from the chapel of Chance & Hydrick Funeral Directors with the Rev. John Kilpatrick and Dr. Roy Head officiating.

Interment will follow in Westover Memorial Park.

Mrs. Pearce, daughter of the late Charles Manning and Annie Heath Durham, was a native of Aiken County, SC. She retired in 1988 as an RN having worked for St. Joseph Hospital, MCG, and the Georgia War Veterans Nursing Home, and was a member of the Augusta Chapter of the Retired Nurses Association. She was a charter member of Silvercrest Baptist Church, where she taught the Golden Age Sunday School Class. She was also the church historian, WMU teacher, and a member of the Benevolent Committee.

She was preceeded in death by her sisters, Mary Durham, Evelyn Etheredge, Esther Winton, and Betty Geiger, and by her son-in-law, Charles Aiken.

She is survived by her children, Shirley Byrd Aiken, of Grovetown, Janice Byrd Wehmeyer (Colon), of Augusta, Linda Byrd Sammons (Richard), of Evans, Charles E. Byrd (Bobbie), of Hephzibah, Cheryl Byrd Gunter (Alan), of Augusta, and Deborah Byrd Messick, of Evans; her stepson Andy Pearce (Sharon), of Augusta; her daughter-in-law, Nancy Pearce, of Augusta; her grandchildren, Lisa Randall, Mike Aiken, Chris Aiken, Heather Lever, Ryan Wehmeyer, Joshua Wehmeyer, Capt. Jeremy Kendrick, Christy Hudson, Sgt. Timothy Byrd, Jeffrey Gunter, KanaAnnie Messick Keola Messick, Keilea Messick and Stephanie Pittman; her brother, Lt.Col. Charles Durham, US Army Ret (Betty), of Jonesboro, GA; her sisters, Mildred Bryan, of Covington, GA, and Annette Wardlaw, of Savannah, GA; her brother-in-law, Lewyn Geiger (Mary Ann), of Atlanta; her sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Hazel and Julian Florie, of Augusta; nineteen great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Michael Aiken, Chris Aiken, Ryan Wehmeyer, Joshua Wehmeyer, Jeremy Kendrick, Timothy Byrd, Jeff Gunter, and Keola Messick.

Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Golden Age Sunday School Class.

The family would like to thank Helping Hands Hospice of Georgia for their care.

If so desired, memorial contributions may be made to Silvercrest Baptist Church, 3431 Peach Orchard Road Augusta, GA 30906; or to Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Doctors Hospital, 3675 J Dewey Gray Circle, Ste 300, Augusta, GA 30909.

The family will receive friends Friday, March 3, 2017, from 11:00 a.m. until the hour of service at the funeral home.

Chance & Hydrick Funeral Directors, 2502 Richmond Hill Road, Augusta, GA, 30906.

www.chanceandhydrick.com