Curtis Lee Pierce

Curtis Lee Pierce age 51 passed away on August 1st 2014 apparently in his sleep, from a heart attack. That afternoon after decades of living with heart disease his body just let go. At the time Curt left this world and discarded his tired body he was residing at 1835 S. 216 Des moines Apt G-203. Though he retained his family home as his permanent address from the age of 5.

That consciousness in which had expressed itself as this kind and gentle soul we’ve known as Curt has returned once more to the infinite unmanifest from which it came, no longer tied to an ailing body.

Curt was born on 10/23/62 (1 year and 10 months after his older brother Mickey Pierce and 2 years and 2 months before his younger brother Glenn Pierce) at what was then the West Seattle hospital. In addition to his brothers Curt is survived by his parents Michael Lee Pierce and Sandra Lynn (Adcox) Pierce.

Curt came into this world as one of the most unique expressions of life one could ever hope to meet. From the time he was a small boy Curt was always so very logical and conservative and never caused or would get into any trouble. His intelligence and analysis of everything was astonishing in that he not only looked at things in unconventional ways to most of humankind but he could answer any conventional question posed to him by 7 years old. As a child growing up his older brother would time and time again be confused about how this strange world worked and Curt would have the answer to his questions. His older brother would then wonder “how could he know that,” “that’s just not possible”, but he did somehow.

For Curt who didn’t always mold well with normal conventions or the public school system dispersed of that process early on and with years to go and with little or no preparation simply took his GED and was done with it. And yet his ability to teach others over the entire course of his life was mysterious, whether it was in the playing of music or any other aspect of music or the building, fixing or running of computers as well as many other things. There are many folks out there right now with expertise at many things having had Curt to teach them. And Curt as well spent many an hour explaining things to people if they were confused about something, regardless of the topic. The funny thing is Curt didn’t even read that much, he somehow didn’t need to, and when he did read he retained it forever. He also used to fall asleep with the TV on and yet could tell you what was said once he woke up.

Curt also made it possible for his older brother to return to college. His brother who had barely seen a computer returned to College for 6 years during the computer revolution of the mid 90’s and early 2000’s and 100% relied on Curt the entire time to build him computers and help him keep up. Without Curt his brother being a computer idiot could not have even went back to school or would have failed almost immediately trying to keep up with the constant computer knowledge and upgrades required at the time.

Given all of this it may sound like Curt was solely an intellectual type but he was also a sports fanatic and if you got in his car, (although Curt was a musician) you usually never heard music but you would always here sports or sports radio playing. He absolutely loved Football – even before the Seahawks won the super bowl. And Curt was as knowledgeable or more about sports than a sports radio host and as avid a Seattle sports enthusiast as anyone in town – and equal to the most ecstatic fan in existence at the time the HAWKS won the super bowl. Curt also grew up like his brothers playing sports and Curt excelled in track, football and especially baseball where his height and strength set him far apart from the average and he played into his early teens before music took over as his number one activity. Curt was tall and strong and when he hit a baseball it traveled farther than anyone in the league when he was younger and he had many games where he would hit multiple home runs - the family home used to have a baseball that was given to Curt for hitting the winning homerun in a Little league all-star game.

Many people also may not know that Curt also loved fishing and camping, and though he hadn’t done much lately he used to go all the time. And when he would catch a fish, especially a big fish, he was again as excited as anyone could be. I’ll talk more about this at the end as a special note because he used to love it so much - which started in the late 1960’s with family camping trips and then his last excursion being in 2007 with a guided fishing trip to southern Nevada where his brother was living at the time. Many times these camp trips also involved playing or writing music with his brother at night around the campfire with Curt on the acoustic Guitar and singing.

For as most know it was Music which was Curt’s lifelong passion over his whole life and for which many that know him were familiar. When Curt would play you could just see in his face and body language that he would go to another place, to an untroubled world where there is only music. And when Curt played the Acoustic Guitar and sang he would close his eyes and Draw from a place of pure joy, from a world not of men and earthly problems, but from the essence of love where only the vibration of the infinite exists.

Curt began guitar lessons at around 10 years old after initially being interested in the drums which he started playing at 6 or 7 years old. His mother remembers that Curt’s first musical interest and inspiration was Stevie Wonder who was Curt’s hero as a young boy. At that time Curt would often also listen to Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones and the Animals for which his parents had albums. As a young boy Curt also used to listen to comedy albums by Bill Cosby and those who knew Curt best knew that when times were good Curt always loved to laugh. But Curt’s laugh was really more like this incredibly elongated and loud continuous giggle about ready to explode - and for much of Curt’s life his older brother Mickey did his best to accommodate Curt, as Curt would often giggle up a storm at the things his brother would say and do.

As far as music goes his mother remembers it was Stevie Wonder as being Curt’s first musical inspiration and favorite and then latter on Curt also loved Jim Croche as well.

This then began a journey in music that would last over 40 years and the rest of Curt’s visit here on Earth. And in addition to his surviving children whom we will come to, music was the driving force which helped keep Curt alive and made his life additionally special and worth living through his disease as long as he did.

At age 10 Curt began his first structured guitar lessons and his playing started with bringing home tablature of popular songs of the time from his teacher and Curt would learn and then teach and share them with his older brother. And though his brother did not have the same all around musical gene or playing interest they played off and on in their teens and stilled shared music as part of their relationship from time to time over the next several decades. Over the years they would occasionally write a few of songs together and even recorded a few in the mid ninety’s. For his brother Mickey some of these times spent with Curt writing music were some of the best times of his life. With Curt’s music skills it made it possible for Mickey to write songs in his head and have Curt turn them into music for which Curt then played all the instruments and then recorded it in Curt’s own self made studio pieced together at Mickey’s apartment - All of which allowed Mickey to participate in music in a way he could only imagine and he would always beg Curt over the years to play songs for him they had written together every time they hooked up.

Curt’s main focus with music however was with his formed bands. And he started primarily playing the Guitar and then the Base within a number of bands from his teenage years in the 1970’s and then more serious ventures in the 1980’s. In about 1983 he helped his younger brother “Glenn” (who had been Curt’s band’s roadie for a couple years) to play the Base rather than hiring a new player and then later to lead sing rather than hire a new one. Curt would then in the beginning learn Glenn’s Base parts and show him how to play them – Curt would also take responsibility for setting up all the sound for the gigs and make the whole thing work. The two brothers would then play together until about 1989 in a number of bands with the main one being called “the Drive” and playing primarily copy tunes with three other members for about 3 years at local establishments. Curt would then switch to playing the Base when Glenn sang as Glenn wasn’t able to do both at the same time and then Curt would play guitar when Glenn played the Base.

This of course led Curt to eventually go with playing the Base most of the time, which he may now be most known for playing in the more original bands that Curt continued with throughout the 90’s (51 Peg - Jagged Dagger and others) and with his final and recent band “Twisting fate.” – I apologize here for not knowing more about his bands and those involved with his Music over the last few years and if anyone or band was left out I refer folks to the Musical links at the end -- . I know that Curt also enjoyed and was very good at singing Karaoke and Playing darts (primarily at the “BULLPEN” in Des Moines I believe) and I apologize for what is left out here as well for those who knew him in this way. Though, it was funny to here that Curt became quite the dart player - for early on when he would play in clubs he would here dart players yelling “GOOD DARTS,” “GOOD DARTS,” really loud, while they were trying to play a music gig and I remember it made him a little crazy sometimes.

(See End of Document for Curt’s recent Band “Twisting Fate” website and links to some recent and one old “You Tube” videos of Curt playing Base with some Bands).

Curt was also always the professional when it came to his music and was always the logical voice and often peacemaker for his two brothers and his friends throughout his life. On one occasion recalled by his little brother Glenn while playing a musical gig at the Once “Monterey Restaurant” and lounge in Seattle, a drunken patron smashed into the monitor and it hit the mic stand and smashed into Glenn’s face splitting his lip. But then right about the moment Glenn was about to fly off the stage to pound this guy he felt a hand on his shoulder and Curt’s voice saying “calm down little bud, just keep playing, just keep playing, we’re the entertainment”

This may have reflected Curt’s professionalism but it was also the way he was naturally in that he came into this world with an incredibly kind and gentle soul and had no use or desire for violence. This may not have always been known because of how much he sometimes struggled and was frustrated with everyday life trying to meet all his responsibilities which he took as serious as anyone. He was often to worn out to show who he really was and as such one may not have always seen the unusually kind hearted soul underneath – a gentleness that exists but is rare in this world by comparison.

Because he often struggled to make ends meet and never had enough time to completely do all the projects he was involved with, his true compassionate nature was often incased in stress and exacerbated much of the time from feeling sick and weekend from his heart disease. But even though often preoccupied with his struggles in daily life if someone else had a problem he would be there in a very heartfelt way for them because it was just his compassionate nature to do so. In his own unconventional way he was also very responsible in his daily duties to friends and family in that he may have been late for most things but he never did not show up for anything regardless of how he was felling. And Curt, no matter what the situation was or the stress and sickness he was feeling, with his kind soul, never did he set out to ever hurt anything or anyone from the moment he was born because again that was just his compassionate and kind nature.

Curt is survived by three children in whom he loved with all his being and did everything within his convention, means and energy to provide care for them and an opportunity for the future. And at Curt’s passing all 3 had a promising outlook for the future and had reached the age of 18. Curt’s two daughters are Danni Weimern-Pierce age 21 and Taylor Weimer-Pierce age 18 and who has just graduated high school and will be attending the University of Washington this fall – they presently reside in Federal way with their mother. Curt’s son is Nicholas Pierce age 26 lives with Curt’s mother at the family home in White Center and is additionally looked after by Curt’s brother Mickey – for which Curt and his mother had asked of his brother back in 2009.

Our Deepest thanks from the family to all of you out there who knew and loved Curt. We may not know all of you that well but we cannot by any stretch of the imagination thank you enough for the Love you showed Curt. But you have my gratitude and Love everlasting. Thank You. Mickey Pierce

For those of you who want to additionally say goodbye there will be a viewing at the Yarington’s Funeral Home at 10708 16th Ave SW from 1 to 4pm on Tuesday August 12th – with the family going at 12noon. Curt will after be cremated with his ashes going to his mother.

Special messages

CURT also loved fishing

Many may not know that Curt also used to love fishing and grew up going camping and fishing with his family which started at about age 5 or 6. Of course Curt was most interested in catching fish and not just going so he usually made sure it was at a good spot - and he was as excited as anyone to go camping and fishing and most especially though to land a big fish, and he caught plenty over the years. Curt would often drive 100’s of miles all over the northwest and even to Montana even if he only had a day or two. And he spent many nights in the 80’s and 90’s camped at lakes in Eastern Washington on fishing trips. His last trip there because of his busy schedule unfortunately I think was in 2001 and his family has a portrait of him with a big smile taken by his brother – though the smile did not come until after catching and holding up a big trout from a raft. Curt even went as far as taking multiple excursions on a boat all the way up Lake Chelan to fish the Stehekin River a long while back. And once Curt even went backpacking in the Pasayten Wilderness to one of the best fishing spots around and hiked some 25 miles round trip to get there with his brother - on one of the hardest up and down trails his brother Mickey has ever seen since. And this was just a year or so before Curt’s first Quadruple Heart bypass in the 1990’s, amazing. Curt’s last big trip was in 2007 when he flew to Southern Nevada to Lake Mead where his brother was living at the time and they went out with a professional fishing guide. For Curt this wasn’t the guided or chartered boat fishing trips he had taken to various places over the years. – It might seem odd to include this stuff but if you saw the excitement in him when he caught a big fish you’d know why.

This note added after obituary was sent to funeral home over the weekend – and obituary as of Monday august 11 was yet to be posted on funeral home site. And since I will be sending this to a number of people anyway I wanted to add something that I forgot in that Curt for the past 18 years has worked evenings 5 days a week at white center Pizza where his mother has worked for 35 plus years as a waitress. About 20 years ago they decided to start a delivery service at the Greek ran restaurant in which for most of those years Curt was the sole person making these deliveries. And on the 2 days he had off a week they just didn’t have delivery service those days as it was little more than a break even operation anyway. I thought I would mention this as it was Curt’s only means of minimal but steady income in addition to his side work fixing computers and playing music.

Before life takes form, before life becomes a life form, there is life. What you are is this life. Birth and death take place within the life that you are, and with the creation of time and space, this infinite self that is YOU, then does this short dance here on Earth - as it is just one possible expression YOU as life can take.

Eckhart Tolle (paraphrased)

“What you are is never born, never lives, and never dies. Birth, life, and death happen within what you are.”

“When you realize what you are now, the issue of death will solve itself.

“To eternity, death has no impact; death is more like changing the scene in a play, changing your clothes at the end of the day.”

Adyashanti

Links and Picture

Some Musical Links Below: and a picture of Curt from his band “51 PEG” at the bottom - from about 20 years ago (and acquired from the 1st link below from the 1990’s) just before his heart disease.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9AfZa6IXUE early to mid 1990’s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqtsRpdqClU from 2010

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Enib-aUYaNQ Live from the skylark 2010

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVW8cND9d0Y from 2011

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gm9SSi1XhQ from 2013

www.twistingfateband.com