DENISON - Royce Ray Pierson Sr., 78, entered into eternal life Monday, April 5, 2010 at home he had ALS (Lou Gehrig Disease). 
Mr. Pierson was born Sept. 24, 1931 in Gainesville, the son of Ben and Rena Pierson. He was in the fourth grade when the family moved to Denison and he attended Denison Schools. He married the love of his life, Sarah Lou Zuver on Sept. 23, 1950 in Denison.
Royce started working at the Denison Cotton Mills as a very young man then worked at Sonoco for 30 years retiring in 1995. He was a longtime member of Harless United Methodist Church and the Pairs and Spares Sunday School Class. 
Mr. Pierson is survived by his loving family: wife, Sarah Lou Pierson and they enjoyed 59-1/2 years together; son, Royce Ray Pierson Jr. and wife, Connie; daughter, Debbie Childress and husband, Pete; sisters, Dean Mulkey and husband, Art and Florence Hunt; grandchildren, Sheila Hobbs, Doug and Janice Childress, Theresa and Kenny Osborn; great-granddaughter, Courtney Tombs; special adopted grandson, Ryan Garcia and his mother, Becky. Many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of caring friends and relatives. He was preceded in death by a brother and two sisters. 
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 8, 2010 at Fisher Funeral Chapel with Pastors Bill Brown and Dave Pettigrew. Interment will follow at Fairview Cemetery. Family visitation will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 7, 2010 at Fisher Funeral Home. 
Pallbearers will be Lyndon Nix, Ryan Garcia, Charles Neasbitt, Tommy Elliot, Kenneth Taylor and Ronnie Smitherman. Honorary pallbearers will be Tomer Stayley, Sam Garcia, Jim Coffman and Loyd Lance. 
Arrangements are under the direction of Fisher Funeral Home, located at 604 W. Main in Denison.
The Herald Democrat, April 7, 2010