Carl R. Pearce

CORTLAND - Carl R. Pearce went to be with his Lord on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017, surrounded by his loving family. He was born Oct. 2, 1933, the oldest of six children, to the late Marjorie Embody and Richard W. Pearce.
After graduating from Cornell, Carl entered into a 10-year partnership with his father on the family farm. In 1964 he began a 35-year career with Co-Operative Extension working on the county level and then in Extension Administration at Cornell. Carl loved the agricultural world, especially the farming community. He was well known throughout the state and a recipient of many awards.
He was an Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity brother and served as their house advisor for a decade. As an active member of the Dryden Presbyterian Church, he served on the Session and on the church's many committees. Past commitments included service within numerous agricultural organizations, the Panama school board, as president of the Home Owners Association Board in Arizona and, until his death, he served in that capacity on the Walden Oaks HOA.
Carl enjoyed his life teaching, traveling, his Arizona winter home enabling him to play golf year-round, music, dancing, and helping his son on the farm.
As a devoted husband and father, he is survived by his high school sweet-heart and loving wife of 64 years, Mary Ann Wayne and four children; Kenneth (Kay Reynolds), Karen (Tom ) Whiston, Kathi (Steve) White and Kimberly (Nelson) Campbell. There are 12 grandchildren, Samuel and Alexa Pearce; the Whiston sisters, Jodi, Kelly and Marcie; the Whites, Lindsay, Kyle, Derek and Michelle; the Campbells, Whitney, Colin and Laura, and 9 great grandchildren; his siblings Ronald (Bobbi) Pearce, William (Sandra) Pearce, a sister, Jean (Leonard) Schmitz. He is pre-deceased by twin brothers, James and John; also brothers-in-law, Martin, Albert and James Wayne, and Terry Scofield. Other surviving family members include brothers-in-law, DeLancy Wayne, Robert Wayne and sisters-in-law, Doris Wayne, Pat Wayne, Nancy Augst, Cynthia Hamilton and many treasured nieces and nephews.
Calling hours will be from 4:00 to 7:00 PM Friday, January 12 at Perkins Funeral Home in Dryden. A memorial service will be held at the Dryden Presbyterian Church on Saturday, January 13 at 11:00 AM. Burial will be at a later date in the Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn, NY. Contributions may be made to Dryden Presbyterian Church, 6 North Street, PO Box 42, Dryden, NY 13053 or Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm and Clinton Streets, Buffalo, NY 14263.