Eckener "Chic" Bryant Pearce passed away suddenly at his home on Monday, October 26, 2020. Born in Oxford, North Carolina in 1929 to Eugene Bryant and Ina Woodlief Pearce, Eckener moved to Wake County with his parents in 1936.
Eckener attended Campbell College and later Wake Forest University, where he studied business. Eckener enjoyed athletics, especially baseball, basketball, and karate— he played basketball at Campbell while pursuing his degree, played baseball in the Raleigh city league, played softball at his church, and took karate lessons alongside his sons. Eckener was also a proud veteran of the Korean War, serving in Texas and Germany.
Later, he worked for the North Carolina SBI as a special agent and Director of Ballistics and Toolmark, where he was highly regarded by coworkers and superiors alike. Raleigh was Eckener’s home for over 60 years— all spent in one home that saw five generations of his family pass through the doors. He was a member of Trinity Baptist Church for 60 years, where he helped establish and grow the church community and later served as a deacon.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Ruth Worrell Pearce; sons Farley (Heidi), Brad (Terri), and Stewart (Dana); brother, Jim Pearce (Ruth); grandchildren, Amy (Nelson), Katie (Nick), Alexander, William, Eric, Abbygale, and Sidney; and great-grandson, Augustus Bryant. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Nola Daniel, Doris Barham, and Carolyn Shearon.
Immediate family will gather at the Trinity Baptist Church Memorial Garden for the Inurnment Service on Monday, November 2, 2020; a Celebration of Life Service will be held at a later date.
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