06/30/2002

Lee Pearce
Auto-Biography

I was born in Denison, Texas on September 19, 1930 as the first born, Irma Lee Barentine to Curtis & Elvie Barentine. Daddy was a bookkeeper and office manager for Swift & Co, a national meat packing company. He also worked part time as a janitor for the First Christian Church in Denison.

In 1932 he transfered to Abilene, Texas. I went to school there until 1942 when we moved to Brownsville, then to Galveston, and to Waco, Texas. In Brownsville, I learned to play the clarinet and played in the band. I was in various school bands until I was a junior. I enjoyed marching and performing in the band at football games.. The next year we moved to Little Rock, Arkansas for 1 « years. Then to El Paso, Texas. I was a freshman in High School when we moved to El Paso and graduated from Austin High in 1948. My last year in high school, I was in a job training program. I worked as an office clerk for Given Bros.Shoes part time, then full time after graduation.

I later worked for El Paso Natural Gas Company as a key punch employee.

My interests were reading and embroidery. My folks were square dancers and I went with them from my Junior year. We danced at the Ft Bliss service clubs. I also called square dances.

I met Leon and we were married in August 1952.