He was born March 30, 1947 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina son of the late Bronnie Clifton Pearce and Myra Gardner Pearce. In addition to his parents Cliff was preceded in death by his parents and siblings, Melvin Pearce and Jean Pearce Crossingham.
Surviving are his loving children, Brett Pearce of Portland, OR, Shelly Craig (Josh) of Kenly, NC, Eric Pearce of Euless, TX and their mother Sherry Pearce of Lynchburg, VA. Cliff is survived by several grandchildren, Jackson, Bentley and Davis of Kenly, NC, and Hunter and Scarlett of Euless, TX. He is also survived by his devoted partner, Kaye Jones of Lynchburg, VA, and her daughter Laura Gail of Alexandria, VA.
Cliff will be remembered and loved by many close friends as a positive, witty, humble, and kind person that cared deeply for others. Cliff attended Wake Forest University where he played tennis and graduated in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts. He was a beloved Demon Deacons fan and made several trips to Wake Forest every year for football games, tennis matches, and reunions with college buddies. After college, he continued playing tennis and was an avid runner. He was a member of Oakwood Country Club for more than 40 years where he enjoyed playing in the CVITT, riding the bike in the workout room, and socializing by the pool. He had a love for the beach and vacationing throughout the year.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 1, 2022 at Whitten Timberlake Chapel. Following the service, the family will receive friends at Oakwood Country Club at 7 p.m. A graveside service will be held at Forsyth Memorial Park in Winston-Salem, NC at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 2, 2022.
Memorial contributions may be made to the NC Tennis Foundation (nctennisfoundation.com), the Alzheimer’s Association, or to the Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield, NC.
