Betty Anne Cline Pearce

The vibrant Betty Anne Cline Pearce passed away peacefully on April 14, 2014 at the age of 83 surrounded by her much-loved family. The wife of William Beacham Pearce, Sr. (“Bill”) for over 60 years, she is survived by her children Elizabeth Rand Pearce of Boynton Beach, FL, William Beacham Pearce, Jr. (“Will”) of Raleigh, and Anne Cline Pearce Watkins of Charlotte, and grandchildren Melinda Pearce McKee of Raleigh, Justin (“Jedd”) Pearce of Cary, and Joshua, Mary Elizabeth, and William Watkins, all of Charlotte.

A Raleigh native and the daughter of Ambrose Schenck Cline and Betty Rand Cline, Betty Anne was baptized at Edenton Street United Methodist Church, where her parents were married and faithfully attended. Her father was the manager of Kildaire Farm in Cary, NC, for Pine State Creamery during the late 1930s to early 1940s. Following in her father’s footsteps, Betty Anne attended North Carolina State College, studying textile manufacturing. She was one of the first women to graduate from State in 1952, was the first female editor of the school yearbook Agromeck, and was named Outstanding Coed in her senior year.

After graduation, Betty Anne moved to Greenville, SC, to work for J.P. Stevens, meeting Bill while attending Buncombe Street United Methodist Church. He was entranced by the beautiful brunette soprano in the choir, secretly following her home to find out where she lived. They were married at Edenton Street UMC in Raleigh in 1953; Elizabeth was born in 1954, with Will and Anne following at two year intervals. After several moves in their early years, the family settled in Pickens, SC, in 1961. Betty Anne sang alto in the Grace Methodist Church choir and directed the children’s choir, in which all three of her children sang. In 1968, the family returned to Greenville, where Betty Anne continued to sing with the choir and direct the children’s choir at Aldersgate United Methodist Church. She was also an active member of the Music Club of Greenville.

In 1987 Betty Anne and Bill moved back to Raleigh and returned to Edenton Street UMC, becoming (and remaining) members of the Francis Asbury Sunday School class.

The eldest of five children, Betty Anne was pre-deceased by her siblings Walter Maxwell “Max” Cline, Josephine Cline Schreffler, and Ambrose Schenck Cline. She is survived by her youngest sister, Belle Kilgore Cline Frazer of Goldsboro, NC.

The funeral service will be held at Edenton Street UMC in Raleigh on Thursday, April 17. There will be a “drop-in” reception/fellowship in Kerr Hall beginning at 12:30 p.m. and a “Remembering Betty Anne” sharing time at 1:30, with the service starting at 2:30 in the sanctuary.

Burial will follow the service at Hillcrest Cemetery in Cary.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Ruth Sheets Adult Care Center, 228 West Edenton Street, Raleigh, NC 27603.

Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 Saint Mary's Street in Raleigh is in charge of the arrangements