William Allan Pearce

William Allan Pearce passed at the age of 100 on November 28, 2016 in Jacksonville, FL. He was born in 1915 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and moved to Jacksonville in 1925, where his father developed the Englewood Community.

Known as Allan to his friends and family, he was deeply involved in the Jacksonville community. Allan was the last member of the first graduating class at Landon High School and active in Landon alumni. He was in the 15th Air Force serving in Italy during WWII in the Army Air Corps bomb group 456, he served in the reserves 16 additional years in the Army Transportation Corps, and retired as a major. He has been a Boy Scout leader, an active member of Gideons International, the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), and he ran the Gate River Run 15k for 16 years up to the age of 83. He was an active member and officer of the Florida Trail Association, member of First Baptist Church Downtown Jacksonville since 1972, where he served as an usher and Sunday School Director. He was an agent with Aetna Life and Casualty for 50 years as a Life Underwriter, CLU/ChFC. He was an avid fisherman and traveled the world with his wife and family, including Africa, Australia, the Holy Land, and Indonesia.

He is predeceased by his sister, Alberta Pearce Seiss. He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Patricia Herndon Pearce; son, Douglas LeRoy Pearce (Kimberly) from Coppell, TX; daughter, Carol Pearce Wakefield (M. Wally) from Jacksonville Beach, FL; grandchildren, Matthew Ryann Pearce (Kate) from Coppell, TX, and Brittany Michelle Wakefield from Washington, D.C.. We’d like to thank his amazing caregiver Judy McKeithan and the loving staff at Taylor Residences and Community Hospice.

A visitation will be held at Hardage-Giddens Oaklawn Chapel on Saturday, December 3rd at 9am with a burial of full military honors taking place at 10:30am at Oaklawn Cemetery. A memorial service to celebrate his life will take place at First Baptist Church of Jacksonville Downtown in the Hobson Auditorium at 2:30pm on Sunday, December 4th with a reception to follow. Memorial contributions can be made to Mayo Clinic Jacksonville Alzheimer’s Research or a charity of your choice.