William Pearcy

Survived by his wife, Zena Beth Massingill Pearcy and son, Jeffry “Wayne” Pearcy, brother, Mike Pearcy and his wife, Pam of Belton, Texas

and their two children, Sam Pearcy of Austin, Texas and Misti Pearcy and her husband Joey Thompson of Goliad, Texas and his mother-in-law, Martha Ann Massingill. His parents preceded him in death.

Jeff married his childhood sweetheart, Zena Beth Massingill in June of 1974 in Greenville Texas. They had one son, Jeffry “Wayne” Pearcy in 1986. Wayne was born in Austin. He now lives with his wife Amber Jo Chesser-Pearcy in Boston, MA Jeff grew up in Waco, Texas. He was born legally blind and lost all of his vision by age 19. As a child his family encouraged his curiosity and helped him to learn so many wonderful things. Jeff had a strong drive to do whatever the other kids did. This included working on cars, driving his brother’s motorcycle without permission, hammering nails into the beautiful hard wood floors at his house, also without permission or need. As a little boy he was interested in motors and thought that anything that made a noise must have a motor in it—including the toilet and television.

Jeff quickly developed a love of music. His uncle Rayburn Roland recognized his ability in this area and gave him his first guitar. At the age of eleven, Jeff and Zena performed together on the elementary school stage at Sanger elementary. Jeff played guitar and they sang “Your Cheatin Heart” together.

Jeff went on to improve his guitar and singing skills. He was a very talented musician, but sadly there are very few recordings of him performing. He co-wrote a few songs with his friend Vince Cole in the 70s, and they were copywritten. He was a member of a rock band called “Noise Unlimited” in the 60s. Among their gigs were The Heart of Texas Fair, and the local skating rink in Waco. He sat in on so many gigs and jam sessions. Music was just part of daily life. He performed in a bluegrass band called “Blink Twice”. This of course has a double meaning among those in the blind community. A “blink” is a blind person. Blink twice had two blind members, Jeff and Jim Shaffer.

Jeff was so proud of his son Wayne. Wayne received his degree in trumpet performance from the Berklee College of Music and now works there teaching blind students music technology. Jeff, always the proud father, was known to tell folks that Wayne is a genius. Music is everything to both Jeff and Wayne.

Among so many interests, Jeff also became a ham radio operator. His call was KF5UR. He encouraged everyone he could to get their license and mentored many people. He climbed towers, put up antennas, participated in ham contests and made contacts all over the world.

Jeff had so many different jobs. As a teenager he and Zena worked together at the Waco Independent School District’s Print Shop binding books. He and lifelong friend Tommy Craig worked for the Austin Chronicle newspaper in their collating department. He worked as a houseparent at the Texas School for the Blind in Austin. He became a licensed insurance salesman and sold life and annuity insurance. He ran a cafeteria and vending location at the Texas Department of Transportation. He completed his working life as an instructor at the Louisiana Center for the Blind.

There is not enough room or time to list all of the ways in which Jeff touched the lives of individual blind people. He mentored so many young blind people. When he first worked at the Louisiana Center he traveled all over Louisiana working with blind infants and toddlers and their families. Through the years he taught travel, Braille, and Home Management. He had been teaching Home Management for many years when his dementia caused him to have to quit work. It was the greatest heartbreak of his life. Jeff taught student every aspect of cooking, from making a sandwich to grilling outdoors to preparing meals for 40-50 people. The stories his students share of his great humor and ability go on forever. His students were often “fired” in his kitchen. It became a badge of honor among the alumni of the LCB. Students compare notes about the days they were “fired” by Jeff. He did it with good humor, but left no doubt that his expectations for them were high.

Jeff joined the National Federation of the Blind in Austin in the late 70s. Through this organization he found a philosophy that matched his own. He always believed that with proper training and mentoring a blind person can achieve whatever he or she sets their mind to do. He was a leader in Texas.

Jeff served as first vice president of the NFBTX for many years, and he, Glenn Crosby, and Tommy Craig worked together to ensure passage of meaningful legislation, including the Texas Braille bill which guarantees that all blind children in Texas get the opportunity to learn Braille; a bill that outlawed discrimination in insurance for the blind; and the law that put Kursweil Reading Machines in public libraries in all Texas cities with a population of at least 50,000. If you walk into a public library in Texas and find a space with access technology for blind and low vision people, it is likely there because of the efforts of these three men and countless other Federationists who worked hard to secure passage of the Kurzweil legislation.

Jeff was a devoted Christian. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Instead of flowers, please send donations to either the Louisiana Center for the Blind or the Seeing Eye Inc. The Seeing Eye is the oldest guide dog school in America. Jeff had four of their dogs throughout his life. Many will remember Niki, Mac, Wes and Adam.

We will all miss Jeff, but we celebrate with him for his job well done here on earth, and his liberation from pain and suffering.