James T. Pearce

James Tribble Pearce, widower of Ellis(Kit)Anderson Pearce died peacefully on November 1, 2015 at the age of 93. Born and raised in Columbia, SC, he was the third of four sons of the late Thomas Butler and Anna Tribble Pearce. He attended local schools in Columbia and started out at Duke University before graduating from USC in 1942. Mr. Pearce served in the US Marine Corps over 3 1/2 years with 2 1/2 years in the South Pacific with the 1st Marine Division. He participated in the New Britain and Peleliu Campaigns in 1944 and was awarded the Bronze Star after the Okinawa Campaign in 1945. Pearce was discharged as a Captain in November of 1945 and later promoted to Major in the Marine Corps Reserves. He began his Greenville business career as an entry level employee in 1945 with the family owned Pearce Young Angel Company, a SC based food service distributor. In 1967 PYA was sold to what is now Sara Lee and the food service headquarters was moved from Chicago to Greenville with Pearce at the helm. At the time of his retirement in 1982, PYA/Monarch was the third largest food service distributor in the US. Pearce then assumed an executive position with Budweiser of Columbia/Greenville/Anderson, respectively, until that retirement in 2000 when the company was sold to long term key employees. Mr. Pearce was devoted to his family, his country and his faith. He was a dedicated University of South Carolina Gamecock alumni. Starting in 1995, he established several Carolina Scholars scholarships in his father’s name as well as his and Kit’s name, a scholarship for the USC Medical School Greenville and a professorship in his son, Mac Pearce’s memory, for the College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management. In recognition for his years of service with USC, Pearce was awarded the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award in 1993, an Honorary Degree as a Doctor of Business Administration in 2000, Distinguished Friend of the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management Award in March 2015, and the 2015 My Carolina Association’s Distinguished Alumni Award. Mr. Pearce served on several boards during his business career including, locally, the Greenville Kiwanis Club, the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, and the Managers of the St Francis Hospital. Pearce was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church, and was a long time member of The Poinsett Club of Greenville, the Cotillion, the Greenville Country Club and the Country Club of Sapphire Valley, Cashiers, NC. In addition to his wife of 66 years, he was predeceased by a son William McFall (Mac) Pearce, and his brothers. Tom B. Pearce, Jr, R. Roy Pearce and Philip E. Pearce. He is survived by his son, James T. Pearce, Jr, his daughter, Margaret Ellis Pearce, and daughter in law, Sidney Query Pearce, all of Greenville, and four grandchildren, James Butler Pearce(Caroline), William Burnet Pearce(Elysia), James McFall Pearce(Sarah) and Sara Ellis Pearce, and two great grands, Jackson Peden Pearce and Skyler Bevan Pearce, as well as several nieces, nephews and many cousins. Mr. Pearce’s Team Big Jim was a stellar caring village including Claudia Spell, Cindy Miller, Wendy Hoffman, Suzanne Rowland and Charlie Gomez of The Sitter’s Registry in Easley, and Interim Health Care Hospice including Christa Thompkins, Angela Young and LaSurma Pippins; and Cathy Baughman. Visitation will be Tuesday, November 3 from 4-6pm at Mackey Mortuary and a Memorial Service at Westminster Presbyterian Church on Wednesday, November 4 at 2pm. There will be a private burial at Springwood Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Harvest Hope Food Bank Greenville, 2818 White Horse Road, Greenville, SC 29611; The USC School of Medicine Greenville, 607 Grove Road, Greenville, SC 29605; the University of SC School of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management, 701 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29208, or the charity of one’s choice.