Teeny Pearce
Lilla “Teeny” Barnes Pearce, a devoted mother, grandmother, educator, and proud Texan, passed away January 16, 2026, surrounded by the love she spent a lifetime giving to others.
Teeny was born on October 28, 1946, in Austin, Texas, to George and Donna Barnes. She graduated from San Angelo Central High School in 1964 and went on to earn her bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University in 1968, where she was an active member of Delta Gamma Sorority. In 1988, she completed her master’s degree in Elementary Education Administration from Tarleton State University.
A lifelong educator for 35 years, Lilla dedicated her career to shaping young minds and holding them to high standards. She served as an elementary teacher in Fort Stockton, a reading specialist at Breckenridge High School, and later as a fifth-grade teacher at North and South Elementary. Teaching was not just her profession — it was her calling — and she believed deeply in discipline, effort, and excellence.
Teeny was a proud member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and a direct descendant of Rueben Hornsby, an early Texas settler who helped establish Hornsby’s Bend in Travis County alongside Stephen F. Austin. Her love for Texas history and heritage was a source of great pride.
She was active in her community, serving as a member of the Breckenridge Women’s Forum, volunteering at the Old Jail Art Center in Albany, and leading the local chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma. A faithful servant, she served multiple terms on the vestry at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church.
Strong-willed and deeply principled, Teeny lived by the belief that “tough mothers make tough men,” and she demanded strength and character from her son Casey and grandson Gunnar. She was caring, generous, loyal, stern, and exacting — always pushing those she loved to be better. As a mother-in-law, she loved Monica Pearce dearly, guiding and encouraging her to be a strong coach’s wife and an exceptional mother.
As a grandmother, Teeny took immense pride in Gunnar, both caring for him and pushing him to grow into the best man he could become. She treasured time spent with him, especially shopping for school and special-occasion wardrobes — moments filled with care, intention, and love.
Teeny found joy in tending to her yard and landscaping, antique shopping, spoiling her beloved pets, and spending countless hours watching football, baseball, and track and field. She loved competition and admired discipline, effort, and perseverance in all forms.
She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Donna Barnes; her sister, Sandra Shea; and her husband, Bill Pearce.
She is survived by her son, Casey Pearce of Breckenridge; her daughter-in-law, Monica Pearce; her grandson, Gunnar Pearce; and her beloved niece, Kelly Shea Martin, husband Steve, of Robert Lee, and their sons, Chase, Channing, Davis, and his wife Jenna and their son Doak, and Brock Martin.
Lilla Barnes Pearce leaves behind a legacy of strength, service, and unwavering love. Her influence lives on in the family she shaped, the students she taught, and the community she served so faithfully.
A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, January 21, at 10 a.m. at Saint Andrew’s Anglican Church in Breckenridge. Her burial will be private and held in the Richland Springs Cemetery and Hornsby’s Bend Cemetery. The visitation will be held on Tuesday, January 20, at 6 p.m. at Morehart Mortuary in Breckenridge. In lieu of flowers or trees, the family asks that donations be made to St. Andrew’s Anglican Church and the Buckaroo All-Sports Booster Club, in honor of Teeny’s lifelong commitment to her church, education, and love of athletics.
