Obituary of Thomas M. Pierce

 

Thomas M Pierce

July 27, 1924 – January 3,2024

Thomas M Pierce, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, died peacefully at home, January 3, 2024, at the age of 99.

Thomas is survived by his children: Darrel, Verna, Dewayne, Sandra and Sheri and Sheri’s husband Jamie; grandchildren: Kevin, Brandon and Jessica and her husband Shawn; great-grandchildren: Danielle, Kaitlyn, Kevin, Jaze, Niko, Tavian, Gunner and Valen and many other children that he called his grandchildren, and they called him grandpa: brother, Ronald. He was also survived by many friends.

“That man is a success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much!”

His life began July 27,1924 in Sheldon, Missouri. For the first 8 years it was just him until a brother was born. Eventually the family moved west and settled in Weiser, Idaho, but Thomas always had fond memories of Missouri and the Midwest. He made it to Weiser High School but never graduated high school. Even though he never graduated high school, he was still a successful man.

After school and still a teenager, he started working for the Union Pacific Railroad. Before long he was drafted into World War II by his father. He was an Army Medic, landing in Africa and then onto Italy. The action of the war took a toll on him, but he survived and came home. Even though it was a war he did have some good memories over in Italy. There was an Italian family that took the soldiers in and fed them.

After the war he came home to Weiser and went back to work for the railroad. While working for the railroad he was invited over for dinner by a coworker and that is where he met his future wife who was the daughter of the coworker. Her name was Grace. They eventually got married on May 6, 1951. A little over a year later they started their family with a son Darrel, and a little over a year later a daughter, Verna. Six years later another son was born. His name was Dewayne. Four years later another daughter was born, and her name was Sandra.

In 1968, Thomas had to make a decision because the railroad was shutting down in Huntington, Oregon and he transferred to Portland, Oregon. After moving to Portland, he completed his family with a daughter in 1971 and her name was Sheri.

While in Portland he worked and was involved in the Nazarene Church and enjoyed traveling when he could. Some memorable trips were trips to the Oregon Coast, trips back to Weiser to visit his parents and to go to the Fiddle Festival, a road trip to Iowa and also a trip to Disneyland.

He retired from the railroad in 1984 and three years later decided to move with his wife and youngest closer to his parents and settled in Ontario, Oregon. In time all his children moved to be closer to him.

After his youngest left home his wife and him lived the life of leisure. They mostly enjoyed trips to the coast, and many trips to Branson, Missouri, his favorite place. They also took trips to Arizona where their youngest daughter lived.

After 62 years of marriage, he said goodbye to his wife on January 1, 2014.  

Thomas kept living life and enjoying life with family, traveling, and spending time at the Ontario Senior Center (where his nickname was Loverboy) and going to the Veterans Hall. While hanging at the senior center he fell in love all over again with a lady named Fern. Her family welcomed him into their family as his own and he moved to Harper, Oregon to be with her. While living there he went to the Harper Nazarene Church. They continued to enjoy life and did a little traveling also.

He then had to say goodbye again when Fern passed suddenly in 2018. He moved back to his home in Ontario. He still enjoyed life with family and going to the senior center up until he was called home to his Lord and Savior on January 3, 2024.

A memorial service was held at the Ontario Senior Center January 13, 2024.

 

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