Billie Pearson

Billie Louise Pearson, 93, of Waco, passed away peacefully on May 7, 2018. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 16 at 10 am at Oakcrest Funeral Home. Burial will follow at FT. Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio on Thursday, May 17, 2018 at 9 am. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, May 15 from 6 to 8 pm at Oakcrest.
Billie was born on June 5, 1924 in Mexia, Texas to Willie and Mary Rodgers. She spent a portion of her early years in McClanahan, Texas before moving to Waco with her family. She graduated from Waco High School. Billie married Hugh Grant (Hogo) Pearson Jr. on June 9, 1944. She spent some 14 years as a dental assistant before raising a family.

Mr. Pearson and Billie had two children. She was a member and attended First United Methodist Church for many years and recently renewed her membership. While attending First Methodist she was a member of the Odell Dudley Sunday School Class. The Pearsons spent their early years travelling to Litchfield and then New Ulm, Minnesota where Mr. Pearson played pro baseball. Upon retirement Mr. and Mrs. Pearson travelled the world before Mr. Pearson’s passing in late 2010. Her favorite place to visit was Hawaii where she so much enjoyed the Lord’s gracious beauty through nature. She also spent a considerable amount of time with her two grandsons in their formative years spoiling them with every chance that she was afforded. Billie was a most giving person to everyone she came into contact with through the years. Family and friends were most important to her and she instilled that in others, but most importantly with her family. She was an excellent cook and many of her children’s friends could be seen dining with the Pearsons on a regular basis. Her children’s friends would frequently ask what their mother was preparing that evening or at lunch in an effort to obtain an invitation to dine at the Pearson home.

Billie was preceeded in death by her husband, her parents, a brother, Melvin Rodgers and his wife Francis of Woodway, a sister, Ruby Wallace and her husband Lloyd of Houston, and a nephew, Melvin Raymond Rodgers of Waco.

She is survived by her children Bruce Pearson and Anita Wilde, two grandsons Christopher Allan Wilde and Hugh Grant Pearson III (Trey) and wife Amber, three great grandchildren; Erianna Manning, Seth Hussey, and Brock Pearson, numerous nieces, two nephews Tommy Pearson and James Rodgers, and numerous great nieces and great nephews as well.

The family would like to thank her numerous caregivers, Ruthie Jones and Betty Haferkamp as well as Lynn Almeda and the staff at Royal Manor II.

A special thanks is extended to the staff at Interim Hospice and a very special thank you is extended to Dr. Sigfried Kreis, Kim Dyer, D.J. Box, and caregiver Latrinda Searcy for their exceptional care.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Johnny Tusa, Leroy Coleman, John Linda, Michael Rodgers, Michael Warren, and Dickie McCreary.