Mary White-Pearce

Mary Stainback White-Pearce, 98, went home to the Lord July 28, 2023, at her home in Durham. 

Mrs. White-Pearce was born July 2, 1925, to the late Mertie Lee Stainback and Nora Mae Ayscue Stainback in Epsom, North Carolina.  She was a 1942 graduate of Charles B. Aycock School.  She moved to Durham in 1943 with her family and was employed with the Liggett Group.  She married William Rufus White in 1944 and still resided on their property in the Bethesda Community at her death. Mary loved to paint, she created many beautiful works of art to share with her family.  She also loved working in her rose garden, doing crossword puzzles every day and looking after her sons.  As she traveled through life, she worshiped at Sandy Creek Baptist, Bethesda Baptist, Page Road Baptist and finally at Calvary Baptist with whom she went on numerous Senior Road Trips.  She enjoyed visiting people and she loved her Sunday School Class and the fellowship they shared.   

In addition to her parents, Mary is preceded in death by her first husband, William White: her second husband, Clarence Pearce; 4 brothers Willie Lee Stainback, Milton Edwin Stainbeck, Carl Allen Stainback and George Melvin Stainback; and 5 sisters, Annie Fuller, Pearl Moss, Elaine Reavis, Nell Hope, Shirley Inscoe.

She is survived by her sons, Mike White (Karen), Ken White, Gerald White, Mark White; 3 Grandchildren, Chris White (Jennifer), Emily White, Chelsea Hodsdon (Kevin); 7 Great-Grandchildren, Ava Rose DeHaro, William White, Eli White, Alana Hodsdon, Bella Hodsdon, Ethan Hodsdon and Jackson Hodsdon; sister, Polly Averette of Knightdale; the Children and Grand Children of Clarence Pearce and numerous loving family members and friends.

Serving as Pallbearers are Larry Oakley, Sr., Tommy Dempsey, Bradley Averette, Lee Inscoe, Kevin DeHaro, George Wood, Mark Clark and Chris White.

A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, August 3, 2023 at Calvary Baptist Church, 1204 Lynn Road in Durham.  Visitation will be held one hour prior starting at 10:00 A.M.  Officiating will be Rev Chris Otto. Entombment will follow at Brier Creek Memorial Gardens in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Flowers are acceptable.

Mary and her mother lived by the motto “The hardest thing for people to do is to do nothing”.