Nell Pearce

LaNecia Nell Loomis Pearce entered into the joy of the Lord on April 30, 2025. She is our loving wife, devoted mom, nurturing grandparent, treasured great-grandparent, and steadfast friend. She is an indomitable leader, educator, encourager and supporter in the hearts and minds of every person she has touched.

Nell’s family lived in Hatch, New Mexico when she was born in El Paso, Texas on November 8, 1937, to George Andrew Loomis and Necia Mae Cox Loomis. She was the older sister to Lou Ann Loomis. Growing up, the family lived and worked at her father’s Loomis Poultry Ranch, raising chickens and distributing eggs to grocery stores and restaurants throughout Las Cruces. Nell was continually active at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church (SPUMC) and at Las Cruces Union High School, where she held offices in many organizations and was a member of the mixed chorus and band. At New Mexico State University (NMSU) she was a leader in Chi Omega and was the recipient of numerous awards and honors. Nell’s younger sister was diagnosed with polio while she was in high school and the entire family rallied around and supported Lou Ann. In 1958, Nell met the love of her life David (Dave) Pearce at the SPUMC’s college class in Las Cruces where Dave found her enthusiastically leading the singing upon his first visit. Dave was working at White Sands Missile Range while completing his MS in Computer Science at NMSU. Soon after they began dating, Nell traveled to Nebraska to meet Dave’s family and very quickly bonded with the Pearce family when she joined the group in singing songs together complete with being accompanied by piano, guitar, banjo, jaw harp and drums. Nell and Dave married in 1959. Nell obtained her BS in Education in 1958 and began teaching elementary school. She obtained her MS in Counseling and Guidance in 1962, also at NMSU. During this time, Dave and Nell were blessed by the births of their three children. Nell raised her three young children while working as the Christian Education Director for SPUMC.

The Pearce family moved to Richardson, Texas in 1969 for one year and then moved to Austin, Texas where Nell was the Christian Education Director for St. John’s United Methodist Church. Nell then was the first kindergarten teacher of the newly opened Hill Elementary School. At that point, Nell and her three children were all at the same elementary school. The Pearce family moved to Plano, Texas in 1976 and began attending Christ United Methodist Church (CUMC). Neither the community nor the church would ever be the same due to her energetic force and vibrant love of life. Nell provided leadership on many CUMC committees, taught parenting, and marriage enrichment classes for 20 years which spawned new Sunday School classes for the church and transformed the quality of many families’ lives. Professionally, Nell worked for Plano Independent School District (PISD) as an elementary school counselor and then was appointed as the principal of the newly formed Wells Elementary School in 1978. She held this position until her retirement in 1999. As principal, Nell thrived in this leadership role, and the influence she had on teachers, staff, children, and their families will go on in the lives of all she inspired.

Nell was a tireless advocate for children’s mental health both in her career and as evidenced by her community involvement. Nell was a founding member of Practical Parent Education (PPE), a partnership with PISD, where she assisted with curriculum development and served as a board member. PPE’s mission impacted Collin County and many other communities across the country. In addition, Nell had a fierce commitment to her volunteer work with the Journey of Hope Grief Support Center (JOH) where she was a facilitator, board member (including President) and fundraiser for many years. One of Nell’s passions in retirement was the interactions that she had with families providing grief support through JOH, the interviewing and selection of scholarship candidates for employees of Highland Springs (HS) and her enthusiastic efforts in raising support for staff appreciation at HS.

Nell and Dave enjoyed traveling in their retirement years as a couple, along with other members of the family and with groups of friends, to wonderful places all over the world. But Nell’s happiest role was in loving and supporting her family and she spent as much time as she could with them. Nell and Dave attended every event possible with their seven grandchildren who grew up locally and in California. She also looked forward to participating in every Cox and Pearce family reunion with great enthusiasm.

Nell was truly a good and faithful servant, and the world would never be the same without her loving smile, kind words, fervent prayers, creativity, compassion, and love for others.

Nell is survived by Dave, her husband of 65 years; her daughter Necia of Plano, Texas; her son Dale and his wife Whitney of Dallas, Texas; her daughter Sheri and her husband Steve of Frisco, Texas; seven cherished grandchildren; and six adored great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Christ United Methodist Church at: https://cumc.com/give/ or to the Journey of Hope Fund, part of Wellspring Counseling Center, Inc., https://givebutter.com/91Tz1d, select JOH Fund in memory of Nell Pearce.

Friends and family are invited to join in a celebration of Nell’s life at 11:00 a.m., Monday, June 2, 2025, at Christ United Methodist Church of Plano, 3101 Coit Rd., Plano, Texas.