Oleene Gallimore Pierce

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Oleene Gallimore was the third child and only daughter born to Seaph and Alice Gallimore. She was born on 16 March 1925 while the family lived in Thomasville

on Julian Avenue. Oleene was also the first granddaughter of Jim and Hattie Gallimore and Lee and Mary Ann Snider.

Oleene attended first grade at the Thomasville City School. When her father, Seaph, would go home for lunch he would go by the school and pick up Aster, Rex and

Oleene and they would go home for lunch. After lunch he would take them back to school and he would go back to Ragan Hosiery Mill and finish his day's work

In the spring of 1932, when Oleene was around seven years old, her family moved to the Leach house on Crousetown Road near Denton.

Shortly after the move her mother Alice had taken the children down to the spring to clean up. Oleene was walking in the leaves and was bitten by a snake. It was first thought that Oleene had a briar in her foot and was sent to the house. She became ill and her foot was very swollen. Alice Gallimore sent for her father-in-law, Jim Gallimore. Jim came and brought some whiskey. Oleene's older brothers, Aster and Rex, took turns holding the whiskey on the bite to get the poison out of her body. Aster and Rex also took turns entertaining Oleene during this time by riding her around in a little red wagon.

In 1933 when Seaph and Alice Gallimore's last child, Doak, was born Oleene found herself as the only girl with six brothers. Brother Rex tells that when asked how

many brothers and sisters he had when growing up his answer was, "There are six boys in the family and each have a sister." This would lead strangers to believe there were twelve children in the family instead of the seven.

Oleene attended school in Denton. Being the only girl in the family Oleene had plenty of inside housekeeping chores to do. Her six brothers helped more with the

outside chores. The only time Oleene could get help with her chores was when the boys had finished their chores and needed an extra person to play ball.

At Christmastime the family would go to Lee and Mary Ann Snider's home where the children would receive a piece of stick candy and an orange.

One Easter Oleene was attending an Easter Egg Hunt at Walter's Grove Church and one fellow caught her attention. His name was Warren Pierce. Later on 14

December 1941 Oleene married Warren Ernest Pierce. Warren was born 21 May 1921 and is the son of Ernest Lafayette Pierce and Lillie Henderson Jackson.

Only months later, on 2 October 1942, Warren was drafted into the Air Force and was stationed at Keester Field, Mississippi. Warren went overseas 8

February 1943 to the North African Theater. While Warren was in service Oleene stayed with her parents and gave birth to their first child, Zelda Warren, born 19

December 1942. Zelda was 2 Y2 years old before her father got to see her. When Warren was transferred to West Palm Beach, Florida, Oleene went to stay him for

two months. He was discharged in October, 1945

Brenda Ann, Warren and Oleene's second daughter, was born on 28 August 1946. Their third child and only son, Phillip Lawrence, was born on 2 February 1953, Groundhog Day. Phil was the second of three cousins that was born on holidays within a three month period. Boyd's daughter Phyllis was born on Christmas Day, 1952 and Rex's daugther's Debbie was born on Valentine's'Day 1953.

Joy Denise was the last child born to Warren and Oleene on 2 September 1957.

Oleene worked at Wrenn Hosiery in Thomasville and Bishers Hosiery and Morris Hosiery in Denton as well as looping at home while her children were small. She then worked at Thornton Knitting Company in Denton for thirty years.

Warren Pierce was a minister for over 35 years, twenty-four of those years at Solid Rock Baptist Church. Oleene supported her husband with many duties as a

minister's wife. Oleene's hobbies are working with plastic canvas and crocheting afghans. She has made four afghans, one for each of her children.

Zelda Pierce Willard works for Social Services in Virginia. She married Larry Willard on 19 November 1962, son of James Melvin Willard and Dorothy Hicks. They

have two children, Allen and Melanie. Allen has three children, Rusty, Nicholas and Ashley.

Brenda married Francis MacArthur "Mac" Wicker on 25 June 1966. Mac is the son of Frances Wicker and Mary Wade Laughlin. They have three sons Kelly, Stacy and Jeremy. Brenda enjoys being a housewife and mother.

Phil married Donna Carol Hughes on 9 July 1971. Donna is the daughter of Edward Hughes and Wanda Loretta Harris. They have one son, Tony.

Joy married Mark Charles Leonard, son of Burl Bassett Leonard, Jr. and Geraldine Carter. Joy has been employed at Duracell for twenty-five years.