Obituary of William R. Peirce

William R Peirce, Sr., 77 of Tucson, AZ, passed away on Saturday, October 4, 2014, surrounded by his wife, Carole, and his children, Matthew Peirce (Rebecca), Renee Peirce Hull, William "Bob" Peirce, Jr. (Donna), and Denise Peirce Wrzeszczynski (Curt). His sudden death was a result of a massive stroke, which he suffered at home, among the things he loved most: his wife of 51 years, his dog Billy, and a recent copy of Field and Stream. Bill Peirce was raised largely in Palmyra, New Jersey, with a zest for life and adventure, by Aubrey and Amy Peirce, as one of 4 boisterous brothers and an artistic sister Barbara. . As a youth, he loved hunting, agriculture, and cars, and his Chow Pal, and packed that love along with his gear to his next adventure in the Army, in far away Germany, where he served as a specialist. He was joined shortly after in the service by his twin brothers, Dave and Don, much to their chagrin. When he returned from the Army to his parents and younger brother Lynn, he began work at Tri-Metal Works in East Riverton (Cinnaminson), where he met his future wife, the lovely, demure, and not so boisterous, Carole Irick. They married in May 1963 and raised their family mostly in Cinnaminson, New Jersey for 35 years, where it would be hard to miss the kindness, love for babies, and good natured humor he found in the close knit community of relatives and lifelong friends. Over the years, he studied sheet metal drafting and spent the largest part of his career as a machine operator for Omark Fastening Systems, KSM division, and later as a warehouse manager for Sisco, self-sealing valves, in Cinnaminson. During those years, he had the pleasure of becoming a grandfather twice, a role which he adored, and which he had the pleasure of celebrating nine times, in his lifetime. When his best man, Jim Mulligan, moved his family to AZ in the 1970's, Bill began to look west toward another adventure. First, he ventured out yearly, but before one trip ended, he began planning the next. Slowly, the west crept east, as our knickknack shelves in New Jersey became populated with miniature cacti, cowboy boots, and western themes, replacing the German beer steins, cannons and Garfields. Desert colors replaced the harvest gold of our home, and in October 2002, the William Peirce, Srs., moved to Tucson East of the desert. In Tucson, William Peirce found an oasis of friends, and a community that has mirrored the kindness and love he had for it; and they have shared that with his family. Please join us in remembrance on Thursday, October 9, 2014 at 10 AM for a memorial mass at St. Francis de Sales Parish, 1375 S. Camino Seco, Tucson, AZ. Light refreshments to follow.