Margaret Pierce

Margaret Paralee Oldham Pierce, age 93 of Arkadelphia died Friday at Arkadelphia. She was born August 7, 1912 in Steelville, MO. to Rev. Walter McCord and Ella Lucinda Schouten Oldham. Her parents met at the Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, KY where her mother was also attending the House Beautiful, a Women's Baptist Seminary. Her father pastored numerous churches in Missouri.

Margaret attended college at The Southwest Baptist Academy and then attended the Southwest Baptist College in Bolivar, MO. Her junior year she attended Southwest Missouri State in Springfield, MO. She played the trombone in high school and college, and performed in churches.

After her junior year, she moved to Hollister, MO where she taught school and met her life's mate, Homer Rowland "Chick" Pierce. Chick was running his father's lumber company there. They married June 23, 1935 in the heart of the Depression.
About 1937 Margaret and Chick moved to Clarksville, AR, where Chick became owner and manager of the H. R. Pierce Lumber Co. They had a successful career with Margaret assisting with the accounting at the lumber co. They reared three daughters and lived there until his death in 1987.

Margaret taught Sunday School at both the First Methodist Church (Chick's Church) and her own First Baptist Church of Clarksville. She was active in Church Circles and sang in the church choirs. At 50 she went back to school at the College of the Ozarks and finished a teaching degree. Upon her certification she taught First Grade for 15 years. She was a member of the Philharmonic Music Club, Kappa Kappa Iota, Civitan and served as President of the P.T.A. During her term in Clarksville, she was responsible for helping raise funds for the cafeteria building at Sallis School. She was active in the "Christ For Others" Groups started by Dr. Glenn Clark who wrote the book "What would Jesus Do?" She went yearly to C.F.O. Retreats on Petit Jean Mountain. She encouraged her husband in the Gideons, and was a member of the First Baptist Church of Arkadelphia

Her main focus before pursuing her professional goals was raising her 3 daughters: Mary Anne Pierce Berryman, Donna Sue Pierce Saylor, and Sandra Lee Pierce Holt. She was extremely proud of her 9 grandchildren and her 11 great grandchildren. She loved to accompany them with Christian Hymns while they sang. She is also survived by a brother: Rev. Bill Oldham of Tulsa, OK.

Funeral services will be 10:00 AM Tuesday, February 21, 2006 at the First Baptist Church, Arkadelphia with Bro. Will Thompson officiating. Pallbearers will be Ray Jodon, Ken Crain, Phil Ayres, Byron Eubanks, Phil Hardin, and Bill Dixon. Interment will be at 4:00 PM Tuesday at Oakland Cemetery, Clarksville, AR with Bro. David Holt officiating. Visitation will be 6-8 PM Monday at Ruggles-Wilcox Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Civitan Research Center for the Developmentally Disabled.
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