KNIGHTDALE— Wayne C. Pearce, 72, died Friday at Wellington Nursing Center where he had been a resident for the last 17 years.  Funeral service will be held 3 p.m. Sunday at Pearce Baptist Church, with the Rev. Mark Cottrell officiating.  Burial will be in the church cemetery.

He was born in Franklin County, son of the late Buck and Zelma Hagwood Pearce. Wayne retired from Mutual Distributing Company in Raleigh.  In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Kenneth T. Pearce.

Surviving: brothers, Dalton Pearce of Macclesfield, Rudy  Pearce Sr. of Wendell and David Pearce (Barbara) of Raleigh; several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Pearce Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, 4634 Pearces Rd., Zebulon, NC 27597.

The family will receive friends Sunday one hour prior to the service at Pearce Baptist Church.

Arrangements by Strickland Funeral Home & Crematory, Louisburg.  www.stricklandfunrealhome.net.