Captain Charlie A. Pearce, USN, Ret.

Captain Charlie A. Pearce, USN, Ret. reported to his permanent duty station in Heaven on December 10, 2025. Born September 9, 1941, he was 84 years old. Charlie’s parents were the late Thomas Albert and Gladys Brown Pearce of Dawson, GA. Charlie was the oldest of five children and spent his early formative years in Dawson before going to college. He was a graduate of the University of Georgia and earned an MBA from Roosevelt University in Chicago. He was also an honor graduate (Cum Laude) of the Navy War College in Newport, RI.

Soon after he was commissioned in 1965, he volunteered for combat duty in Vietnam and spent a year in that country where he was friends with and roomed with Roger Staubach, the future Hall of Fame Dallas Cowboy QB. Following his Vietnam tour, Charlie was posted to Norfolk, Va. where he met and married the love of his life, Gretchan Ann Maatsch of Kansas City. At the time of his death, Charlie and Gretchan had been married for over 57 years.  Captain Pearce enjoyed a very successful Navy career that included 16 different duty assignments including three overseas tours, four ships and various duty stations in the US. He was on the USS Wasp for the recovery of the four Gemini 7/6 astronauts who performed the first in-space link-up of two capsules. He volunteered for and was in charge of a combat boat detail assigned to pick-up downed pilots in the South China Sea. Captain Pearce was highly decorated for his Navy service. He was awarded 20 medals and ribbons including the Legion of Merit (two awards), Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), Joint Service Commendation Medal, and the Navy Commendation Medal (two awards) plus 12 other medals and ribbons. Captain Pearce retired from the Navy in 1992 with over 27 years of service. Following retirement, he worked for 10 years under contract in the support of the US Department of State and the Department of Defense.

Charlie and Gretchan built a home on Lake Lanier near Gainesville, GA. in 2002. They enjoyed living on the lake and having their children and grandchildren near them. Charlie and Gretchan traveled extensively during retirement. They visited nearly 40 countries on five continents including trips to China, Russia, South America, and most all the countries of Europe and Israel.

Charlie believed in giving back to the community and charity. He and Gretchan delivered Meals on Wheels, cooked and served meals at the Good News Clinic and Charlie organized and ran over twenty charity poker tournaments. The charities benefitting from his efforts included The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, ALS and Wounded Warriors. He and Gretchan were active in their church (Gainesville First United Methodist) where he taught the Emmanuel Senior Adults Sunday School class for several years. Charlie was an ardent supporter of the Georgia Bulldogs and attended most of their home games as well as away games. He was an active member of the University of Georgia Alumni Society. He was a plank owner of the Navy Memorial in Washington, he raised funds for and served on the committee that erected a memorial to the Navy in Charleston, SC, and he was a plank owner of the WW II museum in New Orleans.

Charlie is survived by his best friend and companion for life, Gretchan and their children, a son, Charles (Chip) Pearce, his wife Amy, and grandsons Connor and Parker of Cumming, GA, a daughter Christine (Christie) Johnson, her husband Brian, and granddaughters Presley and Charlie also of Cumming, GA. He is also survived by his brother William Thomas (Tom) Pearce of Gainesville, GA along with numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral service will be on January 10, 2026, at 2:00 PM at Gainesville First United Methodist Church, Gainesville, GA with a visitation and reception to follow. A Committal Service with Navy Honors will be held at Georgia National Cemetery, 1080 Scott Hudgens Drive, Canton, GA 30114 on Tuesday, January 13, 2026 at 12:30 pm. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to Gainesville First United Methodist Church, 2780 Thompson Bridge Road, Gainesville, GA 30506.

Those wishing to send online condolences to the family at littledavenport.com

Arrangements are in the care of Little & Davenport Funeral Home and Crematory, 355 Dawsonville Highway, SW, Gainesville, Georgia 30501.

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