Pierce, James – 1923-2008

BARRON, CLAUSSEN, DUNNICK, ELLIOTT, GRAHAM, HANGARTNER, HOTCHKIN, KELDERMAN, NEHRING, PIERCE, REAVIS, WALKER

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 12/4/2008 at 14:40:04

GRINNELL — James “Joe” Pierce, 85, of Grinnell died Nov. 29, 2008, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines.
A funeral mass will be at 10:30 a.m. today, Dec. 3, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Grinnell, with the Rev. Nick Adam officiating. The Reverends Walt and John Claussen will be eulogists. Burial will be in Hazelwood Cemetery in Grinnell.
Visitation will be from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Smith Funeral Home and where the family will be present from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday evening.
A scripture service will be at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday evening at the Smith Funeral Home.
Memorial contributions may be directed to St. Mary’s Catholic Church or Kellogg Historical Society.
Joe was born Nov. 18, 1923, in Grinnell, the son of Robert and Addie Reavis Pierce. He was raised in Grinnell and was a 1941 graduate of Grinnell High School. He was a veteran of the United States Army Air Force during World War II having served with the 8th Air Force, 303rd Bomb Group in Molesworth, England. He was a ball turret gunner on a B-17 and was a member of the Caterpillar Club for having to bail out of his bomber safely during a mission.
On Jan. 1, 1950, he was married to Mary Patricia Hotchkin, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church Rectory in Grinnell. The couple made their home in Grinnell. He was employed for nearly 22 years as a meat cutter at McNallys Grocery Store. He then was employed for six years at Grinnell College and retired from there in 1989. During his retirement he enjoyed working as a greenskeeper at Grinnell Country Club.
Joe was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Newburg American Legion and the Grinnell VFW, where he was acting commander. He was an avid sports fan and particularly enjoyed following the Iowa Hawkeyes. He enjoyed traveling and his many trips to Branson, the Black Hills and family vacations to visit family members in other states. Joe was always hard-working and yet fun loving. He enjoyed a good joke, liked to tease and make people smile. He loved his family dearly.
Survivors include his wife, Pat of Grinnell; four children, Mary Jo (Randy) Hangartner of Decorah, Dawna Elliott of Grinnell, Jim (Bev) Pierce of Kellogg and Terri (Jeff) Walker of Des Moines; seven grandchildren, Jessica Pierce, Erica Kelderman, Leslie Nehring, Myra and Michael Hangartner and Aaron and Adam Walker; three great-grandchildren, Kylie Kelderman and Kameron and Aurora Nehring; and two sisters, Mae Graham and Ruth Dunnick, both of Grinnell.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Floyd and Francis Pierce; and two sisters, Pauline Claussen and Patty Barron.
Source: Newton(IA) Daily News; Wednesday, December 3, 2008