Martha Jean (Tess) Pierce

Martha Jean “Tess” Pierce passed away on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at Arbuckle Memorial Hospital at the age of 94. She was born in Ardmore, OK, on November 12, 1930, to Wiley Lowrey and Mildred Looney Lowrey. She attended elementary school in Ada, OK. After her father was transferred to Sulphur to head the OG&E office, she attended and graduated from Sulphur High School. She continued her education at East Central University in Ada. She met Virgil Pierce and they were married in the First Baptist Church in Sulphur on August 31, 1951. They made their home in Sulphur and had a daughter, Cathleen, and son, David. Their lives were filled with love, church, friends and family, and their children’s activities. Tess worked in the office at the Veterans’ Hospital and later worked at the Sulphur Times Democrat. Baba and Papa attended as many of their grandchildren’s sports and activities as possible. Tess was able to attend some of the great-grandsons’ ballgames before her health began to fail. Tess and Virgil loved to travel in their RV with their many close friends and also visited Hawaii, Alaska, and much of Europe. After Virgil’s death in 2006, she continued to travel often with the Sulphur Community Bank’s tours. She loved to play cards and belonged to several card groups. She was a voracious reader and was a regular visitor at the city library. She loved going on the church’s missions and Senior trips. Tess was very active in the Crossway First Baptist Church and her Sunday School class. Before her health failed, she was honored for singing in the church choir for 75 years. Her 84 years of membership was the longest ever of any member of the church. She spent the last four years of her life being well cared for and loved at the Baptist Village Assisted Living in Ada and Burford Manor in Davis. She is survived by her daughter, Cathleen Branscum and husband Jeff, Ada, her grandchildren, Chance Branscum, Ada, Dillon Branscum and wife Marcela, Houston, Chloe Pierce, Dallas, Caleb Pierce, Norman, and great grandchildren, Colten and Owen Branscum, Ada. She is also survived by her sister, Mary Reynolds, Davis, her son’s spouse, Lynn Hickman of Sulphur, sister-in-law, Ann McKim, Sulphur, niece Jill Swenson, Sulphur, and nephew Trey Reynolds, Sherman. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Virgil, and son, David Pierce. Her service will be held in Sulphur at the Crossway First Baptist Church on Tuesday, October 7, and 2:00 p.m. with Bill Leveridge officiating. Burial will be in Oaklawn Cemetery under the direction of DeArman Funeral Home.

Tributes

Martha Jean (Tess) Pierce

November 12, 1930 - October 1, 2025