Celebration of Life services for Betty Ruth Pierce, 94, of Austin and formerly of Rusk will be Tuesday, April 4, at 2 PM in the Rusk Church of Christ with Brother Robbie Arrington officiating. Burial will follow at the Salem Cemetery near Rusk. There will be a visitation from 1 -2 PM Tuesday before the service. Mrs. Pierce gained her new body on Friday, March 31, in Lakeway, Texas. She was born June 30, 1928 in Alto, Texas to John William and Betty Shirel Hendrick Dixon, and was the baby of eight children. Ruth had lived most of her life in Rusk and lived in Austin for the last 13 years. She had worked 31 years for General Telephone Company as an operator and later as a supervisor before retiring, and worked for Norman Law Firm after that. Ruth was a longtime member of the Rusk Church of Christ, active in ladies' groups and ministries.  She was also a former Sunday School teacher at First Baptist Church in Rusk. Ruth enjoyed traveling after her retirement and loved her family, especially her grandchildren. She was preceded in death by husband Jim Pierce, sisters Inza Brooks, Pansy King, Opal Shuptrine and Sybil Tillman and brothers John M. Dixon, Morris Dixon and Willie Shirel Dixon. She is survived by son Jeff Pierce and partner Chris Hoffart of Austin, daughter Felice O'Neal and husband Jack of Rusk, grandchildren Chad Walley (Tonya) and Brett Devine (Chris), great grandchildren Blake Walley (Alyssa), Braden Walley, Carlin Allbright and Claire Devine as well as a great-great grandson Boston Walley.

Pallbearers will be Chris Hoffart, Chad Walley, Blake Walley, Braden Walley, Jack O'Neal and Chris Devine.