Ona Lea Schroeder Pierce passed away with her children by her side on Sunday October 11, 2020. Ona Lea was born in Bellville, TX on August 7, 1938 to Raymond Edward and Leona Ottmer Schroeder.

She graduated from Belville High school in 1956 and continued her education at Blinn Junior College and then on to Sam Houston State. She received her degree in education and received her first job at Tidehaven High School as a teacher and coach from 1961-2003.

After retirement she continued to teach at some capacity at Tidehaven until 2019. Coming to Tidehaven brought her to the town she would grow to love, Blessing, Texas where she met her husband Lee Hall Pierce.  They married on May 24, 1962.  Their union lasted over 50 years until Lee Hall's passing in 2017.  They were blessed with two children, Lee Edward and Jedie Lynn.

Throughout her life Ona Lea had many accomplishments. In high school she was a star basketball player earning All-State Honors and led her team to the State Tournament in 1956.  She took that love of basketball and her love of history and became an amazing teacher and coach.  She touched the lives of so many of her students at Tidehaven High School and was enormously proud to have been a part of this school district.

She was a member of many organizations. Blessing American Legion Auxiliary, Texas State Teachers Association, Blessing Community Center, Matagorda County Museum Board Member, Matagorda Historical Commission, where she was the Chairman for many years, the TX Preservation Commission, The Bay City Book Review, Blessing Historical Foundation, Matagorda County Retired Teachers Association,  and the Hawley Cemetery Association. Ona Lea was also a member of both St. Marks Episcopal Church in Bay City and St. Johns Episcopal Church in Palacios, TX where she served on the Bishops Committee.

Ona Lea was preceded in death by her husband Lee Hall Pierce, her parents Raymond and Leona Schroeder, her sisters Ilene Zander and Ruth Peters and brother Aaron Schroeder. She is survived by her sister Grace Holtkamp, her son Lee Edward (Sunny), and daughter Jedie Lynn, her grandchildren Logan Miles Pierce, Zachary Allen Pierce, Kole (Baylee) Mitchell, Skylar Mitchell, Phillip R. Zarate Jr., Joshua Lee Zarate, Kingslee Zarate and great grandchildren Kooper and Lynnon Mitchell.  She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be her grandchildren Phillip R. Zarate Jr, Joshua Lee Zarate, Logan Pierce, Zach Pierce, Kole Mitchell and nephews Mike Pierce Jr., Jeff Holtkamp, and Danny Nichols. All former Tidehaven Students will serve as honorary pallbearers.

Visitation will be held Thursday Oct 15 ^th from 9-10 at Taylor Brothers Funeral Home.  Services will follow @ 10:30am at St. Mark's Episcopal Church.  Please social-distance, masks must be worn inside the church at all times.  Please respect the churches guidelines during this difficult time. The service will be streamed on Facebook if possible. If you have any symptoms, please pay your respects to the family in another manner.  If the Church is full, please join us at graveside services at Hawley Cemetery in Blessing Texas.  Space will not be limited at the cemetery.  Please feel free to spread out and join us in laying mom to rest.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Blessing Historical Foundation, St. John's Episcopal Church, or The Matagorda County Museum.