Verda Hanna Pierce, 94, of Waycross, passed away Friday evening, March 24, 2023, at the Hospice Satilla Hospice House in Waycross, following a short illness.
Born January 22, 1929 in Houston, TX, she was the youngest child of the late James and Eula Wheeles Hanna.
She married the late William “Bill” Walter Pierce Sr. and faithfully served the Lord as a Baptist pastor’s wife. They served churches together in five states and she had been a nursery worker, children’s Sunday school teacher, missionary and prayer warrior. They lived life by the Bible and together, their life example has now laid the path for the fifth generation of pastors in their family.
She moved to Waycross in the early 1970s and had been a professional nanny and loved the children in her care.
She was a member of Jamestown Baptist Church, attended the Sr. Adult Sunday School class and was a prayer warrior of all she loved.
She loved the Lord, her family, children and the outdoors. She was blessed with a long active life, continuing to garden and do yardwork into her 90s.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a son, William Walter Pierce Jr.; step-son and daughter-in-law, Stephen and Lillian Zastawniak; a grandson, Ben Pierce and all of her siblings, Glenn, James, Viola, Vina, and Edith.
Survivors include her two children, Greg Pierce (wife Mary), Ruby, SC and Michele Turner (husband Wayne), Mershon; step-son, Charles Zastawniak (wife Viktoria) of Germany; grandchildren, Jason Pierce (wife Lena), Joanna Pierce, Bonnie Hardee (husband Gary), Aluna Pierce, Kris Pierce, Wally Pierce (wife Wendy), Sonya Dixon (husband Jason), Jade Zastawniak and Sabine Zastawniak; great-grandchildren, Walker Pierce, Weston Pierce, Michael Pierce (wife Kristy), Jacob Pierce, Sara Pierce, Anastasia Starr (husband Harrison), Katerina Pierce, Elisha Pierce (wife Taelor), Suzanna Pierce, Natasha Pierce, Amy Stokes (husband Dustin), Erica Rivas (husband Joseph), Madison Walley (husband Cody), Savannah Hulme (husband Brent) and Jacob Dixon; six great-great-grandchildren and two more expected, Jonah Pierce, Gentry Stokes, Kager Stokes, Emrie Rivas, Barkley Rivas, Gabriel Hulme and Samson Pierce and Jaxson Hulme expected soon; four children she had kept and loved, Ann Miller Hanlon, Robert Miller, Shan Choudhri and Sophia Choudhri and several nieces, nephews and other relatives.
Graveside funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 29, from the Ramah Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donation may be made to Hospice Satilla, 808 Evergreen Way, Waycross, GA 31501 or the Gideons International at www.gideons.org.
Sympathy may be expressed by signing online at www.hartfh.com.
Hart Funeral Home of Blackshear is in charge of arrangements.
