Billie Sue Grimes Pierce died Tuesday, August 13, 2024, at the age of 95. She was born June 26, 1929, in Hollis, Oklahoma to Hiram and Lola Grimes. The family moved to Wheeler County, Texas, where her father was a farmer. The family lived and worked on farms in Wheeler County until 1942 when they moved near Amarillo Air Base for the good paying jobs at the ordinance plant. They lived at a government compound called Pantex and Billie attended Amarillo High School.

While at Pantex, she met her future husband, Arthur LeRoy Pierce. They married on October 4, 1946 in Amarillo, Texas.

LeRoy was hired by Phillips Petroleum at Cactus, Texas, and they moved there to start their lives together. LeRoy was a lab assistant, and Billie Sue was a switchboard operator for the telephone company. Soon the couple began their family and had 3 children within 30 months: Judy, Janette, and Bob.

The Pierce family left Texas and moved to Washington in 1965. Billie Sue soon began work as an accountant and office manager for Lorne Bangert Ford. Upon retiring, Sue and LeRoy traveled the states for Sojourners, a group of older folks who use their Recreational Vehicles (RV's) to help churches, children's homes and Christian causes. They were long-time members of the Church of Christ. Sue and LeRoy were happily married for 75 years.

Billie Sue is survived by all three of her children Judy Kathryn Ward (widowed), Janette Karalyn Pettey (widowed), and Robert Lee Pierce (Susan), by 4 grandsons Cody Pierce (RaeAnn), Michael Dawson (Ashley), Andrew Pierce (Ann), Trey Pierce (Holly), and by 11 great grandchildren. Sue was preceded in death by her father Hiram Grimes, mother Lola Dyer Grimes, and her husband Arthur LeRoy Pierce.